Kateel meets Ashoka

Amid speculations that Revenue Minister R Ashoka was miffed with the party, BJP state president Naleen Kumar Kateel met the former at his residence here on Thursday.

His visit came following a meeting at the BJP office, where several issues, including the possible backlash of Vokkaliga community following Congress leader D K Shivakumar's arrest, was discussed.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ashoka said that Kateel met him for a discussion on the upcoming mayoral polls of Bengaluru. As four Congress MLAs from BBMP limits have resigned, Ashoka expressed confidence of securing the mayor's post.

The revenue minister is reportedly unhappy that he was sidelined by the party leadership and was not considered for deputy chief minister's post.

Kateel dismissed disgruntlement within party ranks as a creation of the media and explained that his visit to Ashoka's residence was a part of his meeting with all BJP leaders.

Sources said that instructions have been issued by the BJP high command for all district units of the party to hold media briefings and distance the party from the arrest of Shivakumar. The instructions came in the wake of reports that the arrest might have hurt BJP in the Vokkaliga heartland of south interior Karnataka districts.