FRONT PAGE | Monday, November 2, 2009 | Email | Print | 
BJP backs BSY against rebels
Kumar Uttam | New Delhi
Leadership issue not negotiable, say CM loyalists
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to grapple with the Karnataka ‘rebellion’ even as its central leadership made it clear to the rebels that the “leadership issue was not negotiable” and the dissidents showed no signs of backtracking on their demand for removal of Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa.
It was a day of hectic consultations between BJP’s top leadership, Yeddyurappa’s loyalists and Karnataka Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar, who has been projected by the rebel MLAs as their chief ministerial candidate. No breakthrough, however, could be achieved till late on Sunday.
The Bellary brothers — Tourism Minister Gali Janardhana Reddy and Revenue Minister Karunakara Reddy — are reaching New Delhi on Monday to take the “matter to its logical end”. The Chief Minister will also be in town on Tuesday.
“There is no question of leadership change. The top leadership has assured us that Yeddyurappa would continue as the Chief Minister,” Karnataka Home Minister VS Acharya, State president D Sadananda Gowda and former MP Dhananjay Kumar told reporters here on Sunday. The three Yeddyurappa loyalists separately met senior leader LK Advani and BJP chief Rajnath Singh.
Shettar, who had reportedly turned down an offer from Yeddyurappa to join his Cabinet, also met senior leader Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar at the latter’s residence here and apprised them of the problems that the rebels were facing with Yeddyurappa.
Shettar is reported to have complained to party seniors about Yeddyurappa’s “style of functioning”, the “growing influence of a few” under the current regime and the “neglect of common workers and senior party leaders”. Shettar accused Yeddyurappa of having failed to take along the entire group and trying to cut to size leaders who could pose a threat to him.
Sources say the BJP leadership has tried to wean Shettar away from Reddy brothers by offering him the Deputy CM’s post in the Government. A section of the BJP leaders here feels that the Bellary brothers might be acting under pressure and influence of a section of Congress leaders. The BJP leaders also suspect that the Congress “leaders” who are trying to topple the K Rosaiah Government and install Jaganmohan Reddy as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh could be behind the Karnataka dissidence.
After meeting Shettar, Ananth Kumar said the BJP would arrive at an amicable solution to end the crisis “within the party framework”. Shettar sought to sidestep the issue of leadership change, saying his role was limited. “This is a crisis between the Chief Minister and Reddy brothers,” he said.
In Bangalore, Yeddyurappa continued his tirade against the dissident MLAs whom he accused of trying to destabilise the State Government. A day after indicating that he was ready for a “patch-up” with Reddy brothers and their loyalists, Yeddyurappa said, “In this hour of crisis when lakhs of people have been rendered homeless in the floods and are suffering, some politicians are trying to destabilise the Government, which does not befit them. They are fighting for the (CM’s) chair. The interests of the State cannot be pledged. I will never allow it,” he said.
Speaking after unveiling a Rs-5 stamp in memory of Kannada matinee idol Rajkumar at a function here on the occasion of the 54th Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations, Yeddyurappa said he was “not fighting for the chair”.
In Bellary, Janardhana Reddy kept up the attack on Yeddyurappa, though without naming the Chief Minister by name. “Our senior is cheating and lying to the people. If I even mention his name, this function will be tainted.”
Power Minister KS Eshwarappa also said at Shimoga that the BJP Government had failed to live up to the people’s aspirations and apologised for “making mistakes”.
He said the BJP was voted to power in the State due to the dedicated efforts of the party workers, leaders and support of the people, but failed to live up to their aspirations by committing mistakes much against their wishes.
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