JOIN USB S Yeddyurappa seems to have decided not to leave any stone unturned to ensure the success of his party’s rally scheduled in Haveri on December 9.
The former chief minister is set to arrive in Belgaum, where the winter session of the legislature is being held, on Friday to personally invite BJP legislators to the rally.
Yeddyurappa is expected to arrive by an early morning flight. He is likely to stay either in Hubli or Belgaum through the day and leave for Haveri on Saturday. A majority of BJP legislators and MLCs who are associated with him are likely to meet him in Belgaum.
Yeddyurappa wants to meet his supporting MLAs on Friday itself as he will be in Haveri the next day.
He is expected to visit a mutt near Belgaum, besides attending two public programmes.
When he lands here, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar will be on a visit to New Delhi to take up the cause of the State with the Centre over sharing the Cauvery river water with Tamil Nadu.
The KJP leader is also hosting a breakfast meeting for BJP MLAs, MLCs and MPs supporting him in Haveri on Sunday morning, before the rally. The breakfast meeting is intended to be a show of strength.
The KJP leader’s move has made the ruling BJP leaders swing into action and try to stop their legislators from going to Haveri.
BJP State unit president K S Eshwarappa and former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Thursday warned that the party leadership had decided to act tough against legislators attending the KJP rally, no matter what the consequences are.
“Why operate from the back door? If MLAs want to go (to Haveri rally), let them go from the front door. The party will take appropriate action against them,” Eshwarappa said.
Gowda said the leaders would protect the party even at the cost of the government. The BJP central leadership has decided not to tolerate indiscipline any longer. The party’s core committee meeting has been convened on December 8 in Delhi to discuss the current political situation in Karnataka, he added.
Though leaders on both the sides are threatening each other of dire consequences, none is ready to give up power. Yeddyurappa is reluctant to topple the Shettar government lest he incurs the wrath of North Karnataka. The BJP thinks it is too early to go to polls.
The ruling party MLAs who have assumed a neutral stand are, as a result, being wooed by both the sides. The KJP has shortlisted about BJP 60 legislators and 10 MPs as its supporters, while the BJP is trying its best to keep the flock together.
Sadananda summoned
Sadananda Gowda said the central leaders had asked him to be in New Delhi on December 8. However, he said he was not aware why he had been summoned.
Speculations are rife that Gowda may be appointed the State BJP president.
Gowda, however, said that he is ready to don the mantle if the party desires so. It is said K S Eshwarappa, presently the State party chief, and Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka are not in favour of Gowda being appointed to the post.