Reddys to meet CM today
Drop demand for leadership change, instead want 6 ministers to go
After its aborted attempt two days ago, the BJP leadership has set a date for a face-to-face meeting between Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and the rebel Reddy brothers in New Delhi on Sunday, in its efforts to resolve the fortnight-old Karnataka crisis.
The Reddy brothers, who earlier on Saturday said they would not return to Delhi for further negotiations, changed their mind by the end of the day and left for the national capital along with loyalist and Health Mi
nister B Sriramulu late in the night.
The Reddys’ departure to Delhi prompted senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu to declare that the governmental crisis would end on Sunday. The party will announce its “final decision,” he said.
Naidu was speaking to newsmen after a two-hour long meeting of top party leaders at his residence where the chief minister was present.
Top sources in the BJP told Deccan Herald that no ministers, except Shobha Karandlaje, would be dropped, contrary to fresh demands by the Reddy brothers for sacking at least five more ministers perceived to be close to the chief minister.
Assembly Speaker Jagdish Shettar, projected as their leader by the rebel camp, would be inducted into the ministry.
Shobha to resign
The sources said Shobha, whose exit was one of the top demands by the Reddys, would resign. This would be in addition to the transfer of the chief minister’s principal secretary V P Baligar which happened on Friday. The sources claimed: “The dropping of these two was not the demand of the Reddys but of the MLAs angry with Yeddyurappa’s style of functioning. The MLAs would be happy with these two actions.”
As for the Reddys, the chief minister has agreed to look into their demands which mainly pertain to their ‘business interests.’ “There is no question of yielding to any pressure tactics of the Reddys,” sources added.
On Saturday afternoon, Shettar was said to have sent feelers to the chief minister that he was prepared to join the cabinet. However, he wanted one or two of his followers, too, to be inducted. The chief minister is said to have favourably reacted to the Shettar overture.
The Reddy group, however, insisted on dropping of six ministers: Shobha, Basavaraj Bommai, Lakshman Savadi, Murugesh Nirani, C M Udasi and Hartal Halappa.
However, with Shettar shifting sides, this may not be pressed by the dissidents on Sunday. According to the party leaders, the high command has recognised the contribution of the Reddy brothers to the growth of the party, especially in Bellary district where it had no base. Noting that the party leadership was fully behind Yeddyurappa, the sources said the core committee would be reconstituted.
Performance review
The central leadership, which has asked the chief minister to be flexible with his MLAs, said it would consider the demand for a review of his performance and style of functioning after six months.
Another demand of the Reddys for inducting C T Ravi, Ramdas, Renukacharya, Bellubbi and Belur Gopalakrishna, all who have rebelled against the chief minister, into the ministry has been rejected by Yeddyurappa.
The Reddy camp’s decision to drop its demand for a change of leadership came in the wake of its categorical and repeated rejection by the high command, saying that the party would rather go in for fresh elections than drop Yeddyurappa.
