New Delhi, November 1
In no mood to yield political ground to the opponents in Karnataka, BJP central leadership today assured supporters of Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa of his continuation in office.
Senior party leaders tried to resolve the crisis by meeting the CM’s supporters and the rebel faction representatives separately in the Capital throughout the day.
The whole controversy began with the rebellion which Reddy brothers from Bellary (also ministers in the state cabinet) staged against Yeddyurappa.
While CM sympathisers — former MP Dhananjay Kumar and Karnataka Home Minister VS Acharya — held meetings with senior party leader LK Advani after having met with RSS pointsman and BJP general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal yesterday, state assembly speaker Jagadish Shettar, the emissary of Reddy brothers who want him as the CM, met Karnataka BJP in-charge Arun Jaitley and MP Ananth Kumar.
Though the stalemate is still on, Dhananjay Kumar claimed that the Central leadership had assured them of “no change of guard”. His claims gained weight after state party president Sadananda Gowda also talked of Yeddyurappa continuing as the CM.
“I, along with law minister, home minister and Ganesh Karnik met Advaniji, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swarajji, and deputy leader in the Lok Sabha and national president Rajnath Singhji. I must say all of them are of the single and firm opinion that whatever be the circumstances, there will be no change in the leadership of Karnataka BJP legislature party and no change in leadership of the state government.” Kumar said after the meetings.
A senior Central BJP leader from Karnataka had in fact yesterday indicated that Yeddyurappa would continue as the CM. “The BJP government has the mandate to rule in the state and will do so. Differences will be resolved,” the BJP leader had said.
The BJP can in fact ill-afford to remove Yeddyurappa, who gained ground in the state on account of his prominence among the Lingayats, a dominant caste force there. The Lingayats, who comprise 67 per cent
of the state population, hold the key to political power in Karnataka, along with Vokkaligas, the other dominant caste. Both these groups are known to vote for leaders and not parties — one reason why Yeddyurappa remains firmly in the saddle.
The saffron outfit for its part knows it has no Lingayat leader strong enough to replace Yeddyurappa.
Reddy brothers, on the other hand, want Shettar as the CM. Having set the tone for talks, the mining barons from Bellary - Janardhan Reddy and G Karunakar Reddy - will land in Delhi tomorrow, while Yeddyurappa will be here on Wednesday for talks. BJP’s indications of support for the CM apart, there is little right now to suggest a let-up in the revolt in the state, with the rebel faction claiming 60 of the 117 MLAs in the assembly on their side.
Meanwhile Yeddyurappa seems to have opened the channels of communication with old alliance partner and JDS chief Deve Gowda, who was an invitee today to one of the state government functions in Karnataka.
