Bangalore:
In what is seen as a first warning to loyalists of sulking former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, BJP Karnataka unit today removed Ayanur Manjunath from the party spokesman's post.
Sources in BJP said, Mr Manjunath, a hardcore supporter of Mr Yeddyurappa, has been stripped of the party post, but gave no reason for the abrupt action.
Mr Manjunath, a Rajya Sabha MP, had lashed out at Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka and demanded his resignation over wage hike pact signed with Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation employees union to end the strike recently.
Sources say another Mr Yeddyurappa's loyalist K Dhananjay Kumar is being removed from the post of Karnataka's representative in Delhi, which carries the cabinet rank status.
However Chief Minister's office said no official order has so far been issued.
Mr Yeddyurappa yesterday dropped hints over bidding a goodbye to the BJP, saying he was feeling "suffocating environment" in the party.