From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Mar 10: Buoyed by the support extended by the BJP high command, Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda is unlikely to attend the birthday bash being organized by the supporters of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa at Hubli on Sunday, March 11 to build pressure on the BJP national leadership for the latter’s reinstatement.

While Yeddyurappa and his supporters are obviously elated at the reprieve granted by the Karnataka high court in the case pertaining to the illegal mining following the final report submitted by the former Lokayukta Justice N Santhosh Hegde, the chief minister seems to be intent on concentrating his energies on the electoral campaigning in the Udupi-Chikmagalur lok sabha byelection and also the preparation of the State’s budget for the year 2012-13.

The Yeddyurappa loyalists have billed the Hubli convention as a show of strength by the former Chief Minister for his political rehabilitation as he had to quit his post following the submission of the final report by Justice Hegde.

Sadananda Gowda, who has been touring the twin districts for the electioneering, told reporters that he would be touring various places in the Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency on Sunday and would attend the convention at Hubli 'if possible'.

Meanwhile, the State BJP President K S Eshwarappa, who is solidly behind the chief minister, said that he would ''try his best to attend the convention” organised to mark the 70th birthday celebrations of Yeddyurappa.

But, both Sadananda Gowda and Eshwarappa declined to confirm their participation.

It may be recalled that Yeddyurappa’s loyalists like ministers Basavaraja Bommai, Murugesh Nirani, V Somanna and C M Udasi, all of whom belong to the politically powerful Lingayat community to which the former chief minister belongs, had personally extended the invitation to BJP national president Nitin Gadkari to attend the Hubli convention.

But, Gadkari, however, had declined to attend the Hubli convention.

Both Gadkari and Sadananda Gowda as well as the Yeddyurappa loyalist ministers had been to Goa to participate in the swearing in ceremony of the newly elected BJP Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parikkar on Friday.