Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Aug 29: Ex-minister and BJP MLA Shivanna has clarified that the immediate aim before himself and other BJP MLAs is to ensure that the BJP, which has formed government in southern India for the first time, will complete its full term without any hitch.
Speaking at a press conference in Tumkur on Thursday August 28, he termed reports about the resignations of some state BJP legislators which appeared in the print and visual media, as baseless and untrue. People owing allegiance to the Congress and the JD (S) have been creating such stories for the purpose of wedging a divide and factionalism in the BJP. A daily which functions like the mouthpiece of Deve Gowda's family has been spreading such rumours. The media picked up these concoctions as true, he reasoned.
"Our only aim is to strengthen the hands of the BJP. It is the joint responsibility of all the legislators to protect the interests of those who come into the party, duly accepting the policies and principles of the BJP. Hence, there is no question of any resentment or resignations. If at all there is a crisis, we will consult the RSS leaders and Siddaganga swamiji before taking a decision," he said.
There is no compulsion that legislators should attend oath-taking ceremonies of ministers. Because of various reasons several legislators could not make it to the function, he said.
The sacrifices made by the persons who have resigned from their posts to come into the party are greater as compared to our legislators deciding to quit in protest. The independents are in no way under threat because of these developments, he concluded.
Elsewhere in the state, ex-chief minister Dharam Singh predicted the downfall of the state government because of the facationalism and dissidence within the BJP. He felt that Janardan Reddy is miffed at the induction of Umesh Katti as minister. Making Bellubbi a scapegoat has also angered many in the government and the people in general have also become restive over these developments, he analyzed.
Home minister Dr V S Acharya, aiming at cooling down the discontent brewing among the party cadres over the transfer of police officials, started negotiating with them in the city on Thursday August 28.
He met BJP MLAs from Bangalore city and rural districts, and tried to pacify the legislators, who were feeling agitated over the fact that they were not consulted about these transfers. It is said, that some of them insisted that they should be consulted before affecting any transfers. Later, Acharya informed that he would be leaving for Delhi on Friday August 29, to take part in the meeting of state finance ministers, as a representative of the chief minister.