Bangalore, Oct 18 (DHNS) : Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has incurred the wrath of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa for taking a “unilateral” decision to give additional responsibilities of Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation and Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board to his detractor, Balachandra Jarkiholi.

“Jarkiholi has been given additional responsibility by neglecting others. Shettar appears to have no intention to complete the full term. I will soon convene a meeting of my associates and take an appropriate decision,” Yeddyurappa told reporters on Wednesday.

The former chief minister said he saw a conspiracy by the party central leadership in giving additional responsibilities to Jarkiholi.

He said the leaders knew well that Jarkiholi would join JD(S) in the coming days and still he was being given additional responsibilities to tame party loyals. “This indicates that the State BJP leaders are planning to join hands with the JD(S). But it will never happen.”

Yeddyurappa also charged the Shettar government with neglecting development projects. The legislators are unhappy and hence, a meeting of the BJP legislature party should be convened immediately, so that the legislators can air their grievances, he said.

The former chief minister’s outbursts have sent ripples in the political circles as the fate of the BJP government hinges on the support of the former chief minister and his followers.

He had asked Shettar to give plum portfolios to his (Yeddyurappa’s) close aides such as M P Renukacharya, Revu Naik Belamagi and Raju Gouda.

“My wish is that the government should continue till April next year. But Shettar does not seem to have that intention. He (Shettar) seems to be going Sadananada Gowda’s way. He has to face the consequences if he does not mend his ways,” Yeddyurappa warned.

On the decision to continue K S Eshwarappa as the president of the State BJP, Yeddyurappa said the party had no other option as there would not be many people left there.

“Let him be given another 10 portfolios. This is how people behave when the end is nearing. I do not want to comment anything more about the party which I am leaving,” the disgruntled BJP strongman said.

Yeddyurappa said there was nothing special about the expulsion of Dhananjay Kumar as the latter had already decided to quit the party. He said he welcomed the CBI charge sheet against him in the Prerana Trust case and that he hoped to come out unscathed in the case soon.

Excise Minister and Yeddyurappa’s staunch follower Renukacharya has vowed to expose Jarkiholi.

“I was shocked to learn that he (Jarkiholi) has been given plum portfolios. The party has rewarded those who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections. I have all the proofs against him and I will expose him at the right time,” he stated without taking Jarkiholi’s name. Meanwhile, Tumkur BJP MP G S Basavaraj said he would support Yeddyurappa’s decision to quit the BJP.