BJP puts State rebels on notice

At the BJP legislature party meeting, the first being held after a patch-up between the two warring groups in the state BJP, the central leadership conveyed to the legislators that further indiscipline would not be tolerated and any grievances needed to be solved within the party forum.

The day for the visiting Delhi leaders began by witnessing the continued fued between the Yeddyurappa and the Bellary Reddys’ camps. The rebels led by minister Karunakara Reddy brought pressure on the Delhi leaders to drop minister Basavaraj Bommai from the co-ordination committee.

Reddy refused to even attend the maiden co-ordination committee meeting held before the legislature party meeting til the demand was met. The chief minister stood firm by Bommai and walked into the venue where the meeting was scheduled. With the Delhi leaders, too, not heeding the demand, Reddy relented and attended the meeting.

Even at the meeting, the rift between the warring factions was visible. Surprisingly, the central leadership did not allow the MLAs to express their views despite it being a meeting of the legislators. Only select ministers, besides senior leaders on the dais, articulated their views.

Senior leader Sushma Swaraj, who was instrumental in defusing the crisis, had a word of advice for Yeddyurappa — to communicate better and hold dialogue with legislators, the organisation and the party.

At the post-meeting press briefing, she said: “We have learnt many lessons. The root cause of most of the problems is lack of dialogue. The chief minister has to be more and more communicative,” she said. Sushma said Yeddyurappa had assured her of his cooperation.

Earlier, Sushma, Arun Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu, who were in Bangalore to attend the meeting, made it clear that the party cannot afford to lose face after the fortnight-long crisis that had gripped it, sources said.

Naidu told the legislators that the central leadership would keep a close watch on the developments here.

Shame

Sushma said the recent developments in the party had “put all of us to shame.” Terming the crisis “a bad dream that had withered away,” she claimed  the crisis had been resolved fully and the party had emerged stronger.

Expressing regret Sushma said the party will compensate for the lack of work during the two weeks by working overtime.

Besides the chief minister and party state unit president D V Sadananda Gowda, ministers  Shettar, Eshwarappa, Suresh Kumar and Ashok spoke.