BJP rebels firm on change in Yeddyurappa leadership

The three-day-long trouble shooting mission by senior leader Arun Jaitely failed to bring about a solution.

Jaitley returned to Delhi, summoning Yeddyurappa, Revenue Minister G Karunakara Reddy, who has been at the centre stage of the revolt and state assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar, a rallying point for rebels for further consultation.

Jaitely, who is also in-charge of BJP affairs in Karnataka refused to set any time frame for resolving the crisis, but, however, exuded optimism for early end to it.

"There is no change in the leadership of Yeddyurappa, whose government is functioning well", he said before his departure from the city even as rebels insisted "leadership change is the only solution to the crisis".

Karunakara Reddy, who was invited by Jaitley for another round of talks today said "problems faced by MLAs has been brought to the attention of the Central leadership", but declined to comment on the demand for change of guard.

A belagured Yeddyruappa in the midst of all these developments exuded confidence that crisis will be resolved today.

Jaitley called Shettar last night in a bid to persuade him to accept ministerial berth, but the Lingayat leader, whose aspirations to join the Yeddyurappa ministry last year was not fulfilled, stuck to his stand of not accepting it.

The stiff stand taken by Reddy brothers -- Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy and Karunakara Reddy -- and Health Minister B Sreeramulu brought the parleys to a deadlock.

Janardhana Reddy, who continued to camp in Bellary district to monitor the development, said, "the state needs an able and good leadership to ensure that the BJP government complete its five year term.

Sreeramulu who has also been taking a swipe at Yeddyurappa in the last three days, in a significant development called on Shettar and assured him to mobilise the support of MLAs in his favour.

Sreeramulu told the media that they would abide by the decision of the party high command, but stressed that opinion of legislators be elicited before arriving at any conclusion.

Karunakara Reddy and Shettar have been summoned to Delhi by Jaitley today. Sources in the Chief Minister's secretariat said they were not aware of the tour plans of Yeddyruappa.