Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Nov 5: It is learnt that the climate at the cabinet meeting held here on Friday November 4 hotted up, after the ministers owing allegiance to Jagadish Shettar stuck to their demand for taking action against ministers from Yeddyurappa faction, who stayed away from Advani’s Janachetaya Yatra programme held here last Sunday.

It may be recalled that Advani had taken note of the snub given to him by the followers of Yeddyurappa at the meeting held in Bangalore, and had sought an explanation thereof. Discussions were being held within the party circles over the issue, as also the need to involve party’s national leadership in the matter. Later, there were talks of laying the issue to rest without dragging it further.

When the issue was raised at the cabinet meeting, ministers loyal to Yeddyurappa accused the ministers belonging to the rival faction of insulting Advani by inviting him to Bangalore. They reportedly said that they too are close to the national leadership, and that they felt it improper to participate in the programme at a time when their leader was in jail. Efforts of Chief Minister ©, D V Sadananda Gowda, to pacify the ministers and making them stick to the agenda, went in vain.

Ashok and Shettar pointed out that the behaviour of these ministers had resulted in loss of face to Advani and the party, and that their faction was wrong in staying away from the programme. The followers of Yeddyurappa also announced their preparedness to face disciplinary action, duly expressing confidence of winning not less than 50 seats solely on the basis of the leadership of Yeddyurappa. They thereafter, chose to remain mum, without showing interest in the agenda taken up for discussion thereafter.

It is learnt that verbal frictions also arose when Shettar faction asked the CM to choose alternative person in place of Justice Bannurmath for the post of state Lokayukta. The Yeddyurappa faction, which felt that this suggestion has come just because Yeddyurappa had recommended this name, asked Shettar faction to behave in a just and democratic manner. Shettar faction however, said that it would be wiser for the government to learn from the resignation of Justice Shivraj Patil, and urged the CM to recommend a non-controversial person to the post in place of Justice Bannurmath.