Yediyurappa urges BJP MLAs to help people in distress instead of indulging in signature campaigns

The Chief Minister's statement comes after a series of political statements on speculation about attempts to replace him

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday asked BJP legislators to refrain from “collecting signatures or making political statements” even as some 65 MLAs are said to have signed a letter in support of his continuation in the top post.

The signature campaign comes in the wake of fresh speculation over Yediyurappa’s tenure as the CM after he offered to resign if the high command wanted him to do so.

In a tweet, Yediyurappa said: “At a time when people are facing difficulties during the Covid pandemic, every single BJP MLA should prioritize Covid containment measures in their respective constituencies. No one should engage in collecting signatures or issuing political statements. I request them to provide help to the people in need.”

This came just hours after Honnali MLA MP Renukacharya, the CM’s political secretary, said 65 MLAs were on Yediyurappa's side. “They have signed a letter. I have it with me,” he said, flashing a file without revealing the letter itself. “There’s one letter in Kannada for the state party president and another in English.”

Contradicting Renukacharya, Hubli-Dharwad (West) MLA Arvind Bellad, whose recent visit to New Delhi triggered speculation over attempts to dethrone Yediyurappa, said no such pro-Yediyurappa signature campaign had taken place. “No signature for or against anyone has happened. The only signature campaign of 64-65 MLAs happened during the last legislature session seeking early release of rural development funds,” Bellad said. “I don’t know if those signatures have been used for this. We will know if a legislature party meeting is convened.”

Renukacharya said Bellad was “a big man” and that he was not among the 65 signatories. “I didn’t ask him to sign. He’s a chief ministerial candidate. I’m too small,” he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP has constituted a 10-member committee, including Yediyurappa, to address legislators’ grievances and stop them from washing dirty linen in public.

“The committee has the state president (Nalin Kumar Kateel), the CM, four ministers and four party general secretaries. The aim is to stop people from issuing public statements for or against the CM. This is the high command’s directive,” Revenue Minister R Ashoka, who is a part of this committee, said.

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