Bangalore: Yeddy May Change Style of Functioning

Pics by Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network

Bangalore / New Delhi, Nov 1 (DHNS): There was no softening of positions among the rival camps in the BJP’s political drama now shifted to New Delhi. But the central leadership of the party made it clear on Saturday that it would not entertain ‘show of strengths’ in the Capital and would like to de-escalate the crisis. 

Even as Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar, who has emerged as the rallying point for the dissidents, and Home Minister V S Acharya, representing embattled Chief Minister Yeddyurappa, met some senior leaders of the BJP on Saturday, the top leadership directed the dissidents not to bring their supporting MLAs to the national capital.

“There will be no public parading of MLAs in Delhi. We will not allow it,” a senior leader involved in resolving the latest crisis that has gripped the Karnataka BJP.  “We are willing to discuss with the leaders but not with the MLAs who accompany them,” he added. This leader pointed out that the party did not entertain the BJP legislators brought to the capital by former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje to parade her strength recently. Raje was shocked when veteran leader L K Advani refused to meet the MLAs although they had reached his house.

The Karnataka dissident leaders, declaring that they have the support of 61 of the 117 BJP MLAs, have indicated that the flock would be brought to Delhi.

Sources in the party said the Karnataka tangle could be solved, although finding a solution may take a few days. While Yeddyurappa released a list of 85 supporting MLAs, including 21 of the 32 ministers in Bangalore, and claimed that he had “complete support of the party high command,” the dissidents pointed out that it was clear that the chief minister had lost his majority.

Yeddyurappa now appears to be ready to make Shettar a minister, possibly even offering him Home portfolio, but Shettar himself seems to be determined to seek leadership change.

 Meanwhile, the BJP leadership is likely to depute senior leader Sushma Swaraj to act as the main interlocutor with the dissident Reddy brothers, who have rebelled against the chief minister.

Convinced that Yeddyurappa cannot be replaced at the moment, the high command is likely to ask Sushma to convince the dissidents not to push their activity to the extreme.

Sushma Swaraj, who is deputy leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, is known to enjoy a good equation with the Reddy household and Sriramulu, another dissident minister. All three ministers are expected in Delhi on Sunday.
 The Bellary mining tycoons, who have raised the banner of rebellion against the chief minister, came close to Sushma when she contested the Bellary Lok Sabha seat against Congress president Sonia Gandhi in 1999.

Swaraj told reporters that she spoke to BJP president Rajnath Singh on Saturday morning and added that senior leaders Arun Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu were in touch with the Karnataka leaders.

Arun Jaitley, who held discussions with the BJP leaders in Bangalore for three days, has already declared that Yeddyurappa will continue as chief minister.

Home Minister Acharya, camping in Delhi, on Saturday met party general secretary Ramlal and held discussions with him. Accompanied by Dhananjay Kumar, the State’s special representative here, Acharya told Ramlal that Yeddyurappa enjoyed the support of an overwhelming number of party legislators. 

He said the chief minister had indicated that he was ready to change his style of functioning if that had caused consternation among some MLAs.

Yeddyurappa has not yet scheduled his visit to Delhi as, in the next few days, he will be busy giving a push to relief works in north Karnataka.

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