Snubbing BSY faction, Advani will visit Bangalore

“I have no information about my yatra in Bangalore getting cancelled,” Advani said when asked if his plans in Karnataka had changed following the arrest of former BJP chief minister.

“I will go to Karnataka and also go to Bangalore,” he confirmed. On a question on Yeddyurappa, Advani said he did not want to make further comments on him, other than what he had said earlier in Nagpur.

Party sources on Saturday said the October 30 public rally of Advani in Bangalore as part of his yatra against corruption has been cancelled.

However, they said Advani would visit coastal parts of Karnataka like Mangalore, Udupi and Honnavar on October 31.

They said the BJP decided against holding public meeting in Bangalore apparently in the light of recent developments that have embarrassed the party with Yeddyurappa and former minister S N Krishnaiah Setty sent to jail in cases relating to alleged land scams.

Sources in the Karnataka party unit said in Bangalore that the Yeddyurappa faction had lobbied for the cancellation of the scheduled yatra as it would further embarrass their leader. They had almost convinced some of the senior party leaders and the RSS on canceling the yatra.

However, the Ananth Kumar faction opposed it and insisted that the yatra should be held as scheduled. And Advani also agreed with it and directed the State party to organise the yatra in Bangalore as scheduled on October 30. The party has convened a meeting of Bangalore city MLAs on Monday.