Reddy camp intensifies anti-BSY moves
As the crisis in the BJP’s Karnataka unit continued unabated, the rebel camp, led by Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy, has intensified its activities in the national capital.
Reddy, who has demanded the ouster of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, received a bolster, with several ministers and MLAs arriving here. They also met the rebel leader at a secret location.
For the second day in running, Reddy had a power-packed engagement here by hopping from one leader’s residence to another to present his case against the chief minister.
State Planning Board Deputy Chairman D H Shankar Murthy and Kannada Development Authority Chairman ‘Mukyamanthri’ Chandru along with Janardhana Reddy met senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj.
Speaking to reporters later, Shankar Murthy said he had requested Sushma to resolve the crisis at the earliest in the interest of the party.
To a question why he met Sushma along with Reddy, he said: “It was sheer coincidence. I was not aware that Reddy was also present at Sushma’s residence when I called on her.”
Meanwhile, Energy Minister K S Eshwarappa along with over 10 MLAs, including C T Ravi and Anekal Narayanswamy, arrived here late on Tuesday night and proceeded to an undisclosed location. It was learnt that all of them had held discussions with Reddy on the current developments at a secret location.
Eshwarappa, who had once revolted against Yeddyurappa, is likely to meet the party’s central leaders on Wednesday. BJP State unit president D V Sadananda Gowda met BJP national president Rajnath Singh. Interestingly, most of the leaders from Karnataka opted to stay in star hotels in the capital rather than at the Karnataka Bhavan.
Speaker Jagadish Shettar, projected as the leader of the dissident camp, is untraceable.
Though his aides here claim that he has left for Bangalore, reliable sources said he had been meeting Reddy for chalk out further strategy.
