BJP told hold statewide protests tomorrow for minister Kulkarni's ouster

The BJP will stage massive protests in all the district headquarters, demanding the ouster of Mines and Geology Minister Vinay Kulkarni from the Siddaramaiah Cabinet, on November 27.

The BJP, which has charged Kulkarni's direct involvement in the murder of the Dharwad Zilla Panchayat member Yogesh Goudar, has decided to take its demand for his resignation to a logical conclusion, BJP state president B S Yddyurappa told reporters here on Friday.

The decision was taken during the party core committee meeting where Karnataka election in-charge and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and party general secretary Muralidhar Rao impressed upon the state leaders to chalk effective strategies and ensure the removal of both Kulkarni and Bengaluru Development Minister K J George from the Cabinet.

Yeddyurappa demanded a CBI probe into Goudar's murder and suspension of DySP Tulajappa Sulfi, who is facing charges of building pressure on Goudar's family to withdraw the case.

Yeddyurappa said Siddaramaiah had maintained a convenient silence on the charges against Kulkarni, but had strongly defended his other ministerial colleague George, who is faces charges in the death of DySP M K Ganapathi.

Party conventions

The BJP will be organising three conventions in Bengaluru on December 10, 17 and January 7, in which Central leaders such as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley are scheduled to participate.

The party has so far completed its Nava Karnataka Nirmana Parivartan Yatra in six districts covering 50 constituencies. On December 21, the party will host a major rally in Hubballi where Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is said to participate.