FRONT PAGE | Thursday, November 5, 2009 | Email | Print | 
Crisis may blow over as BSY set to meet Reddys today
Kumar Uttam | New Delhi
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa will meet the dissident Reddy brothers — Tourism Minister Janardhana Reddy and Revenue Minister Karunakara Reddy — here on Thursday to sort out their differences, which had snowballed into a major crisis for the first BJP Government in south India. Governor HR Bhardwaj, who was in New Delhi on Wednesday on a private visit, said he was keeping a watch on the situation and will act when it was necessary.
But in what seemed as the last-ditch effort by the BJP’s top brass, Yeddyurappa and Reddy brothers have agreed to have a one-on-one meeting at the residence of senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj here on Thursday.
“All the confusion that has arisen will come to an end soon,” Yeddyurappa said in Hubli (Karnataka) before leaving for New Delhi. Sushma has already held several rounds of discussion with the Reddy brothers, considered close to her, to find a way out of the present crisis but no consensus has been reached.
The meeting has come at a time when the BJP leadership reportedly weaned away Assembly speaker Jagadish Shettar from the rebel camp. Reddy brothers had propped up Shettar as their choice for the chief ministership.
Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa and BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar held meeting with Karnataka Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar at a five-star hotel in national Capital late in the evening and tried to wean him away from the rebel camp. Reddy brothers had propped up Shettar as their choice for the chief ministership. Yeddyurappa arrived in the national Capital on Wednesday evening and is expected to hold discussions with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha LK Advani and BJP president Rajnath Singh on Thursday.
Details of what transpired could not be ascertained but BJP sources said the discussion hovered around the “new compromise formula”, which talks about more say for Reddy brothers in transfer and posting in their areas, clippings the wings of some loyalists of the Chief Minister who have allegedly become “power centres” and change in some Government policies.
Yeddyurappa is reportedly ready to accommodate most of the demands of rebels and suggestions made by the BJP leadership, including inducting Jagadish Shettar in the Cabinet and giving some key portfolios to him.
Some of the rebels could have “diluted” their position but Reddy brothers are still adamant on removing the Chief Minister, who, according to them, were conspiring to weaken them by directly hurting their business interests, ignoring their supporters and positing hostile officers in their area.
Ahead of Yeddyurappa’s meeting with Reddy brothers, leaders from both the camps held separate meetings with central leaders in Delhi. Karnataka BJP president Sadanand Gowda, who is considered close to the Chief Minister, exuded confidence that there will be no change of guard in the State.
“Practically, the central leadership has already given a verdict as far as leadership is concerned that there will be no change of guard in Karnataka,” he said in New Delhi.
Around 10 MLAs loyal to Yeddyurappa met party’s central leaders here while a few close to Reddy brothers accompanied their leader Janardhana Reddy to meet Sushma Swaraj.
Meanwhile, Governor HR Bhardwaj said it would be good if the issue was resolved soon by the party as the people were suffering in the aftermath of the floods. “I am keeping a watch on the situation and I will act when it is necessary,” he said.
He, however, made it clear that he had nothing to do with the situation and as the Governor he could not comment on the developments. Asked whether he was worried over the situation, Bhardwaj replied, “Why should I be worried?”
He said he was there looking after every interest of Karnataka. “It is for the party which is ruling in Karnataka to resolve the issue,” he said.
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