JOIN USMore BSY men seek BJPLP meet
The crisis in the State BJP showed no sign of relenting on Thursday with 19 more legislators (15 MLAs and four MLCs) in the B S Yeddyurappa camp writing to Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to convene an emergency meeting of the legislature party, even as the chief minister categorically spiked their demand.
In all, 34 MLAs and four MLCs have sought the convening of an emergency BJPLP meeting to discuss the letter written by Sadananda Gowda and BJP State president K S Eshwarappa to party national president Nitin Gadkari complaining that six ministers, all loyal to Yeddyurappa, were indulging in anti-party activities.
The total strength of the BJP in the Assembly is 121.
Among the signatories to the second letter to Gowda are Minister Raju Gowda, former minister Karunakara Reddy, legislators Suresh Gowda, Appachu Ranjan, K G Kumaraswamy and Prahlad Remani.
On his part, Gowda parroted what the central leadership stated on Wednesday. He said there was no need for convening an emergency legislature party meeting.
“It is my responsibility to keep the BJP national president abreast of the developments in the party. The matter is between me and the party president and not a matter to be discussed in the legislature party,” Gowda said.
According to party sources, there are several legislators who are waiting for the Supreme Court to pronounce its order on the Central Empowered Committee’s recommendation for a CBI probe into Yeddyurappa’s alleged involvement in mining scam, before they take sides. The Apex Court is likely to pronounce its verdict on Friday.
In case of a favourable verdict for Yeddyurappa, the numbers in his camp are bound to swell.
An adverse verdict would mean only his die-hard loyalists, if any, would remain with the former chief minister. Even the loyalists may not quit the position they are holding or as members of the legislature.
Yeddyurappa remained closeted through the day with some legislators and ministers in his camp at his Race Course Road residence.
Suresh Gowda, a staunch Yeddyurappa supporter, said the BJPLP would provide a forum for them to express their views.
“We, as legislators, elected the chief minister in the BJPLP. If we have any problems, the BJPLP is the right forum for discussion,” he said.
Cabinet expansion
The deadlock in the party over the BJPLP meeting has not deterred a section of legislators from making a renewed bid to get the State cabinet expanded.
Chikmagalur MLA C T Ravi, who met Yeddyurappa on Thursday, told reporters that he would soon be submitting a memorandum to the chief minister seeking Cabinet expansion at the earliest.
A copy of the memorandum has already been submitted to Yeddyurappa, he said. Ravi said 15 districts had gone unrepresented in the Cabinet.
Appachu Ranjan, a ministerial aspirant, said, “With less than a year to go for the elections, expanding the Cabinet will rejuvenate the party cadre and the party will emerge stronger”.
In another part of the city, Excise Minister M P Renukacharya told reporters that he had never indulged in anti-party activities at any point of time. He expressed surprise that his name had figured in the letter by Gowda and Eshwarappa to Gadkari.
Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai said he was pained to learn that his name figured in the complaint letter. “I am a loyal worker of the party,” he said.