At the same time, the sources in the anti-Yeddyurappa camp said the central leaders had assured the rebels, who have been demanding the ouster of Yeddyurappa in the wake of corruption charges against him, that their demands would be discussed at the party’s parliamentary board meeting scheduled for March 30. The rebel camp, meanwhile, has decided to lie low for some time.
The dissidents have decided to wait till April 9, the day of the by-elections in the State, and then decide the future course of action. Dharmendra Pradhan was deputed by the party high command with a twin objective - to convey to Yeddyurappa that the parliamentary board will take a final call on the crisis and to create an impression in the media that all is well within the party.
Two rounds of parleys
While speaking to mediapersons, Pradhan said, “Yeddyurappa is our chief minister and he will continue and complete his term.” Pradhan had held two rounds of parleys between Yeddyurappa and party state president K S Eshwarappa, who had spearheaded the rebellion against the chief minister, late Friday night.
“In a democracy everybody has a right to express their views. After listening to all, the high command has decided to face the byelection unitedly,” Pradhan said, in reply to a query on the activities of dissidents.
Pradhan claimed he was in Bangalore only to discuss strategies for the by-election to three Assembly constituencies.
Later, in a chat with Deccan Herald, Pradhan claimed that development activities in the State had not been affected by the internal bickerings in the party. He said there was no dissidence in the party, but only “different shades of opinion”. To a query whether BJP would act if Lokayukta police registered an FIR against Yeddyurappa, Pradhan said Law Minister Suresh Kumar (who was present at the interaction) was better equipped to answer the legal point.
Kumar explained that the court had referred the case against the chief minister to the
Lokayukta police under Section 202 CrPC. “The scope of this particular section is limited to inquiring whether there is any trust in the complaint,” he said.
Kumar contended that the police could file an FIR only under Section 156 CrPC. However, there was no scope for filing an FIR under Section 202, wherein the police could only inquire and submit its finding to the court.
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