Bangalore: BJP Factions Head for Showdown, Party Chief Won't Accept Resignations
Bangalore, Jun 30 (PTI): State BJP President K S Eshwarappa today ruled out accepting the resignations of nine Ministers loyal to B S Yeddyurappa, who are pushing for replacing Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda with their nominee Jagadish Shettar.
"There is no question of accepting the resignation of the Ministers", he told reporters after meeting Gowda here.
Meanwhile, BJP's In-Charge of Karnataka Affairs Dharmendra Pradhan is arriving here today seeking to resolve the crisis facing the Government.
Eshwarappa said he is confident that Gowda and "friends" supporting Shettar would abide by any decision of the party's central leadership.
Minister for Labour and Sericulture, B N Bache Gowda, met Sadananda Gowda and later told reporters there is no question of change of leadership. He said all 12 Ministers who are "identified" with the Chief Minister would meet this afternoon.
"There is no question of leadership change. He will continue as Chief Minister", Bache Gowda asserted.
The Ministers who resigned are Shettar, C M Udasi, Basavaraja Bommai, Murugesh Nirani, V Somanna, Umesh Katti, M P Renukacharya, Revu Naik Belamagi and Raju Gowda.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister met Governor H R Bhardwaj at the Raj Bhavan.
Will overcome the crisis: Karnataka CM
Bangalore, Jun 30 (PTI): Appearing unfazed by the rebellion against his leadership by the Yeddyurappa faction, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda today expressed confidence of resolving the crisis with the intervention of the party's central leadership.
Gowda met Governor H R Bhardwaj at Raj Bhavan, held consultations on convening a Legislature session next month to pass the financial bill (budget) and briefed him about the issue of resignation of nine Ministers.
The Chief Minister did not hand over the resignation letters of nine Ministers loyal to B S Yeddyurappa to the Governor; the party's state unit President K S Eshwarappa had made it clear earlier that there is no question of accepting them.
Gowda told reporters later that he spoke to BJP President Nitin Gadkari and In-Charge of party affairs in Karnataka Dharmendra Pradhan on the resignation issue last night, adding the two leaders expressed confidence of resolving the crisis smoothly.
Pradhan is coming to Bangalore this afternoon and will hold discussions with all concerned, the Chief Minister said.
"We have faced such crisis in the past and we have resolved them successfully. This time also, I am confident we will resolve the crisis", Gowda said.