BENGALURU: Has BJP president Amit Shah decided to keep state unit chief B.S. Yeddyurappa on leash through the newly-constituted core group? The list released in New Delhi on Thursday reveals an entity packed with antagonists of the former chief minister.

Besides Mr Yeddyurappa, other members are Union ministers H N Ananth Kumar and D.V. Sadananda Gowda, leaders of Opposition in the Assembly and Council, Jagadish Shettar and K S Eshwarappa, former state unit president Pralhad Joshi, former deputy chief minister R Ashoka, former ministers C.T. Ravi, Aravind Limbavali, C.M. Udasi and Govind Karjol, and Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP. General Secretary (organisations), Ram Lal, national joint general secretary (organisations) and in charge of Karnataka, Santosh, and state general secretary (organisation), Arun Kumar, are permanent invitees’ of the core group, says a communication sent to Mr Yeddyurappa. The central leadership said the group should meet at least once a month or more frequently.

Sources in the party said though Mr Yeddyurappa had recommended the names of two general secretaries —Ravi Kumar and Shobha Karandlaje — for inclusion in the list, Mr Amit Shah chose not to include them in the core group.

Sources said the list was drawn up keeping in view the posts they hold as well as the experience the members. Mr Ravi Kumar and Ms Karandlaje were relatively junior in the organisation and therefore were not accommodated, sources added.