BJPLP meeting: DVS puts onus on central leadership
Sadananda buys time as BSY camp’s deadline for meeting nears
The crisis in the State BJP, following the demand by the Yeddyurappa camp that a legislature party meet be called, continued on Wednesday with Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda stating that he would take a decision on the issue only after consulting the party’s central leadership.
“I have no hesitation to call the meeting. But the permission of the party central leadership is a must to convene it,” Gowda told reporters.
Gowda’s contention was strongly refuted by Yeddyurappa and his associates. The former chief minister broke his silence on the issue and said: “There is no need to take the permission of the central leadership.
The BJPLP provides a forum for legislators to place their views. There is severe drought in the State. The administrative machinery needs to gear up. The BJPLP meeting must be convened immediately,” Yeddyurappa said.
The deadline set by the Yeddyurappa camp to convene the meeting ends on Friday.
However, Gowda – by stating that he wants to consult the central leadership – seems to be buying time on meeting the demand of the Yeddyurappa camp. For, the central leaders are busy with the presidential polls and party national president Nitin Gadkari is camping in Nagpur for his son’s marriage, scheduled for June 24. The central leadership has no time to discuss the Karnataka crisis.
The game plan of the Yeddyurappa camp is to seek a leadership change at the BJPLP and elect Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Jagadish Shettar, a Lingayat, as the new chief minister.
The camp is of the opinion that it will be beneficial to have a Lingayat chief minister in the run-up to the Assembly polls, as the party considers the community its vote base. The group held a meeting at Yeddyurappa’s residence on Wednesday to discuss its next course of action.
Support for Pranab
Yeddyurappa said UPA nominee for the presidential polls, Pranab Mukherjee, was a “suitable man” for the post, but that the BJP central leadership would take an appropriate decision on the issue.
“Being a BJP leader, how can I support Pranab Mukherjee? He is a suitable man for the post, but I have my limitations,” he said.
Gowda hits back at Harish
Gowda hit back at party MLA B P Harish for his remarks against him. Gowda said: “I do not think I should react to such people. I do not want to stoop to that level. We have many issues to attend to and we should not pay attention to such remarks.”
He said he had discussed about Harish’s statements with the State chief of the party, K S Eshwarappa.
The party would take an appropriate decision at an appropriate time in this regard, he said.
On the High Court of Karnataka quashing the State government’s decision to supersede the Belgaum City Corporation, the chief minister said he would soon hold a meeting with ministers and officials concerned and take an appropriate decision.
