Bangalore: Ramdas Rubbishes Reports on Yeddyurappa's Ultimatum to Gadkari
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Feb 24: Karnataka’s Medical Education Minister S A Ramdas, a Vokkaliga leader from Mysore district who has turned a staunch supporter of Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, on Friday rubbished reports of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa mounting pressure on BJP National President Nitin Gadkari by demanding steps for his (Yeddyurappa’s) rehabilitation by February 27.
“There is nothing like that,” Ramdas said pointing out that the National Party President had come to Bangalore for the two-day Chintan-Mantan programme in the City.
The Minister said: ''Naturally, when the National Party President is in Bangalore all party leaders and legislators are bound to meet him and discuss various issues pertaining to the party and the government. Yeddyurappaji is our senior and respected leader. He along with our Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and State Party Chief K S Eshwarappa and others met Gadkariji.”
''Our national leaders have held discussions with Yeddyurappaji also. So, we discussed about the government work and also about the party future and other matters. That is the only major points for discussion,” he claimed.
Ramdas made it clear that the ruling party was totally united and committed to ensure that the party’s candidate Sunil Kumar, former Karkal MLA, retains the Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha seat vacated by the Chief Minister with an even bigger margin. All of us are working for the success of the party candidate.
“Only the high command will take the appropriate decision at the appropriate time,” Ramdas said when asked about Yeddyurappa’s ultimatum to the party high command to take a decision on his rehabilitation by February 27, the day the latter turns 70.
"All of us are party disciplined party workers. We have to abide by whatever the party high command decides. There is no question of anybody serving ultimatums or setting terms to the high command. It is not BJP culture,” he explained.
Another BJP leader and MLC from Mysore C H Vijay Shankar also voiced similar sentiments and said difference of opinion was quite common in any party and BJP was no exception.
However, he said it was not proper for anybody to speak on any issues that are best left to the decision of the party’s high command.
“I am not supposed to speak on such issues. I am a party worker and whatever the party decides must be followed by all. Difference of opinion is very common in any party, especially when in power,” he said.
Vijay Shankar said: ''You take any party in the entire world, not just in Karnakata or in India but any part of the world, and all parties including BJP are not immune to difference of opinion.”
But what is unique about BJP, he said was that the high command will take an appropriate decision after examining various aspects and also keeping the larger national issues in mind. Definitely, they will study and sort out the problems.
When asked whether the two-day ‘Chintan baithak’ was cut short for one day following the rift, Vijay Shankar said: “It is true that it was actually planned for two days, But when our national president has come, it is necessary for us make adjustments to suit his convenience. Gadkariji as well as other national leaders are busy in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. Therefore, because of his workload, we decided to stick to only one day.”