Bangalore: K'taka BJP to Impart Lessons on 'Discipline' to Party MLAs, MPs

Bangalore, Jun 17 (PTI): Battling revolts and charges of indiscipline among its own MLAs over the last three years, the state BJP unit has decided to take stock of the situation and hold a camp for its elected representatives to ''impart lessons'' on discipline, party policies and other issues.

The three-day camp has been planned in the city during the third week of next month, BJP's state unit President K S Eshwarappa told reporters here today.

Besides the MLAs, MLCs, MPs and zilla panchayat elected members would also attend the camp, he said.

BJP's first ever government in the south led by B S Yeddyurappa has faced four trust votes in the Karnataka Assembly after revolts by a section of its MLAs and ministers since May 2008.

Eshwarappa evaded reply to a query whether the 121 BJP MLAs would be assured of tickets for the next election, but hastened to add: "Their behaviour also counts. We had problems like our own people going to resorts in Chennai and Goa. But some of them have decided to reform accepting their mistakes."

Taking a jibe at 'Congress nadige, Janara Balige' (Congress' campaign to connect with people), the BJP leader said he was happy that at last after three years, the opposition party had decided to go to people.

Congress and JDS cannot return to power and should learn to function as a responsible opposition, he asserted charging them with levelling baseless charges against the government.

Hitting out at JDS chief H D Devegowda for his agitation against land acquisition for development and industrial purposes, he asked: "Will Gowda build an airport in the sky? JDS is anti-development," he charged.

On allegations made by Gowda's son H D Kumaraswamy, Eshwarappa said, "He has been lobbing bombs after bombs at the BJP government and Yeddyurappa. But all of them have turned a dud. Let Lokayukta, probing his allegations, come out with its findings. We will wait for it."

He, however, refused to react to Kumaraswamy's claim that Yeddyurappa tried to buy peace with him offering money and other help.

"Yeddyurappa not trying to 'buy' silence over graft"
 
Bangalore, Jun 17 (IANS): Karnataka's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party Friday dismissed as "dud bomb" the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) claim that Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa was attempting to "buy its silence" over graft charges against him.

"All claims and allegations of (JD-S leader and former chief minister H.D) Kumaraswamy against Yeddyurappa and our government are like dud bombs," Karnataka BJP unit chief K.S. Eshwarappa told reporters here.

Law Minister S. Suresh Kumar, Excise Minister M.P. Renukacharya and BJP spokesperson C.T. Ravi also dismissed Kumaraswamy's claim made here Thursday.

"Kumaraswamy often explodes these dud bombs to impress people," Eshwarappa said.

"It is a total lie," Suresh Kumar told reporters on the margins of a function in Bangalore.

"What is the need for a deal with JD-S after Yeddyurappa had exposed illegal dealings of the Gowda family?" he asked.

Kumaraswamy is the son of JD-S president and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda. Another son of Gowda, H.D. Revanna, is a member of the state assembly.

Gowda has two more sons but they are not into politics.

Early this week, Yeddyurappa said that Gowda's family was involved in "illegal export of iron ore".

His political secretary B.J. Puttaswamy released documents showing companies owned by Kumraswamy's brothers had made Rs.167 crore by exporting over 150,000 tonnes of iron ore within six months of his becoming the chief minister in 2006.

Kumaraswamy has denied any illegality in the business and also said he had nothing with the businesses run by his brothers.

Renukacharya and Ravi, at separate press meets, took on Kumaraswamy.

Renukacharya said the BJP and Yeddyurappa "are not scared of these baseless claims and charges and will fight back".

Ravi challenged Kumaraswamy to release more documents against Yeddyurappa now instead of June 22 when the JD-S leader plans to do so.

Kumaraswamy said Wednesday that he will release these documents in New Delhi ahead of the BJP's nation-wide campaign against corruption beginning June 24.

"Why wait till June 22? If you have them, release now," Ravi said.

Yeddyurappa has not reacted to Kumaraswamy's claims so far. He is away in Kottakkal in Kerala for ayurvedic treatment at the famed Arya Vaidya Sala.

He is expected back in Bangalore by June 21.