JOIN USKarnataka minister confirms moves to topple CM B S Yediyurappa
Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Wednesday conceded that attempts were on within the BJP to have Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa removed, with the ageing Lingayat strongman initiating a counterattack by deploying his loyals to bat for his continuation.
"I know that (dissidence) meetings are going on. Some ministers seem to be a part of this as well. All these talks... it's true 100 per cent that attempts are going on (to replace Yediyurappa) and some are involved indirectly," Ashoka told reporters in the first such public admission of the whispers by someone in the government. "But I am completely focused on the Covid-19 situation."
Tourism Minister C P Yogeeshwara and BJP Hubballi-Dharwad (West) legislator Arvind Bellad were in New Delhi reportedly to meet the party’s top brass, leading to speculation in political circles.
Notwithstanding Ashoka’s statement, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, Housing Minister V Somanna and Mines & Geology Minister Murugesh Nirani spoke in favour of Yediyurappa, refuting talks on change in leadership.
The latest development has exposed cracks within the ruling BJP as MLAs loyal to Yediyurappa, who has weathered all the storms thus far, have openly hit out against those "plotting" his removal. Those against Yediyurappa are the ones disgruntled over not being made ministers, they said.
"Even if some MLAs are trying to have Yediyurappa removed, it won’t happen," Channagiri MLA Madal Virupakshappa said. "The MLAs who have gone to Delhi are those who won’t even win the next election. Why should Yediyurappa be removed anyway? What wrong has he done?"
Virupakshappa joined BDA chairperson S R Vishwanath, Karnataka’s Delhi representative Shankaragouda Patil and Gundlupet MLA Niranjan Kumar in saying Yediyurappa will remain the chief minister. "Yes, there are some differences within the party such as grants to constituencies. And, if our own people have had new clothes stitched, they should stop dreaming," Vishwanath said.
Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, with his ringside view of the developments, claimed that the process of removing Yediyurappa had reached its final stage. "There are corruption charges against his administration. Also, there is mismanagement on the Covid-19 front," he said.
Speculation is rife that the BJP central leadership has asked Yediyurappa to convene a legislature party meeting next month. This has been one of the demands of dissident MLAs. "But will the CM be changed just because a legislature party meeting is convened?" Agriculture Minister B C Patil asked.