From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Aug 19: In the absence of Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar or his immediate predecessor D V Sadananda Gowda and the BJP national general secretary Ananth Kumar, the Lingayat strongman and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa, who still continues as the State BJP president, held the core committee meeting on Saturday and finalized their tour programme of the drought affected districts.

Eshwarappa, however, made it clear that permission had been obtained from Shettar and Ananth Kumar, both of whom are in Delhi, for conducting the tour programme.

However, he did not explain the absence of Sadananda Gowda at the core committee meeting held in the State party office, who along with Yeddyurappa, are reportedly lobbying hard to get the State party presidentship.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, held in the absence of Shettar, Kumar and Gowda, Eshwarappa said Yeddyurappa will commence the first leg of his tour of the drought affected districts from August 21.

Yeddyurappa will be covering seven of the most drought affected districts during the first leg of the 11-day tour.

''The tour will be held under the party banner under the collective leadership of the Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and former Chief Minister Yeddyurappa,” Eshwarappa said adding that he too would be joining it.

After returning from Shimoga on August 20, former Chief Minister will officially begin the state tour from August 21.

Yeddyurappa will visit Chitradurga on August 22, Bijapura on August 23. Hubli-Dharwad on August 24, Bagalkot on August 25, Gadag on August 26 and he will visit Chamarajanagar on August 31, Eshwarappa said.

With state leaders, office bearers, district in-charge ministers and MLAs concerned constituencies will participate in the tour.

The former chief minister, who had recently received the permission from the Karnataka High Court to tour outside the city without having to obtain its advance permission subject to the condition that he should present himself for the CBI for any inquiry within 24 hours if so desired, had decided to commence his tour of the drought affected districts even without the permission of the party leadership.

In view of this determination on the part Yeddyurappa, Eshwarappa is said to have advised the former that it would be better if the tour programme is held under the party banner as it would also encourage the party workers and avoid any conflicting signals regarding lack of unity within the state unit.

Yeddyurappa is said to be keen on undertaking the tour to judge his popularity among the people in a bid to build a case for making him the state party president. It is also said to be a ploy to prepare the ground in the event of his ultimate decision to quit the party and float his own regional outfit, if it became inevitable, ahead of next year’s assembly polls.