BJP withdraws dharna for George's resignation, to raise N-K issues

 The pressure of taking up issues related to North Karnataka during the ongoing winter session of the legislature has forced the BJP to give up its earlier decision to take the government head-on, seeking the resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister K J George.

The party had launched a dharna on Tuesday in the Legislative Assembly demanding the resignation of George following the CBI filing a FIR against him in the DySP M K Ganapathi death case. The party meekly withdrew its dharna on the issue on Wednesday. Similar was the scene in the Upper House.

It is said the party was divided on whether it should continue with the George issue. At the BJP legislature party meeting on Tuesday night, former deputy chief minister R Ashoka is said to have insisted that the party should stall the legislature till George resigns. He is learnt to have told the meeting that the party Central leadership had also directed the state unit that it embarrass the government on the George issue.

However, Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar and legislators from North Karnataka said it would be wrong on the party to stall the proceedings at a time when there were several burning issues such as Kalasa Banduri, implementation of the Nanjundappa committee report on regional imbalances among others. The session was also being held at Belagavi in North Karnataka, they pointed out.

Finally, North Karnataka won. The BJP members withdraw their dharna after Speaker K B Koliwad assured them that he will allow them to raise the George issue on a later date.