Gadkari throws weight behind Yeddyurappa

“The central leadership is fully behind Yeddyurappa. There is no question of creating instability in the State. Yeddyurappa will continue as Chief Minister for his full term,” Gadkari told reporters after taking stock of the political situation in the State at a resort on the outskirts of Bangalore.

Gadkari’s backing Yeddyurappa for full term as Chief Minister ahead of the crucial zilla and taluk panchayat election is seen in the political circles as a move to consolidate and remove any apprehension among its vast Lingayat vote base that the reprieve given by the central leadership to the scam-scarred Chief Minister to continue at the helm was only temporary.

Gadkari complimented Yeddyurappa on his developmental programmes, saying the State’s e-governance and biodiesel initiative were worthy of emulation by all other BJP-ruled states. He also praised the State administration for its role in taking up projects like the ring road, flyover and sewerage treatment plant in Bangalore.

He also went around the City for an on-the-spot inspection of development works with Yeddyurappa. However, asked about his take on certain complaints against Yeddyurappa by his own partymen, Gadkari said all party issues would be discussed internally but refused to elaborate. “There are certain problems within the party and these problems will be discussed and solved in the party forum,” he said.

Replying to a query, Gadkari said the Cabinet expansion will take place after panchayat polls.

During his day-long interaction with state office-bearers, legislators and Cabinet ministers, Gadkari is said to have told them to unitedly fight and bag the maximum number of seats in the ZP/TP elections.

“Forget the past and concentrate on development. The results of Gujarat and Bihar elections have proven that in the 21st century only those governments which work for development sustain,” Gadkari told the legislators.

Gadkari is said to have told the meeting that Narendra Modi received nation-wide bad press after the communal violence in the state in 2002, but the Gujarat leader was able to bounce back through his development agenda.

Interestingly, Gadkari’s agenda to focus on the internecine conflicts among the BJP ministers and legislators in the State was diluted by the announcement of the polls dates for the panchayat polls on the eve of his visit.

With just three weeks left for the panchayat elections, Gadkari's meeting focused mainly on panchayat polls.

Arun Jaitley, the party’s legal-eagle and who is to officially “give special attention to Karnataka party affairs”, is said to have told State leaders to gear up for mid-term Lok Sabha polls in 2012. “Jaitley was of the opinion that the UPA allies will soon desert the Congress after the Tamil Nadu and West Bengal Assembly elections,” a senior leader who attended the meeting said.

After the day-long meeting with state BJP leaders and legislators, Nitin Gadkari visited Nayandahalli underpass, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board's (BWSSB) Tertiary treatment plant on Mysore Road and Kommaghatta Tank in Kengeri.
He planted saplings at the tertiary treatment plant and was then briefed about the functioning of the tertiary plant.