Daijiworld Media Network - Bagalkot (SP)

Bagalkot, Jul 19: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, D K Shivakumar, said that the state BJP is convening a meeting shortly and the smell of midterm polls is in the air. He said that the matter might become clearer in a week.

He was speaking to media persons at Banahatti in the district on Sunday July 18. He clarified that the BJP has not convened cabinet meetings or the assembly session, but only the meeting of its legislators. On the issue of replacing the chief minister, he said it is left to the BJP. He said that BJP's own legislators are demanding a change and the high command has not said that these legislators were wrong. "My chair is safe and secure. I don't know about Yediyurappa," he added.

He blamed the state government for neglecting development of north Karnataka. He criticized the government for allowing the Suvarna Soudha at Belagavi to go waste without holding session there, duly commenting that the government would have earned rent if it was rented out. About the issue of the deputy chief minister Govind Karjol, criticizing the Congress for discussing the issue of chief minister prematurely, he analysed that the BJP is aware that the Congress will rise to power next.

He said that there was nothing special about him having been summoned to Delhi. He said Rahul Gandhi invited him in order to discuss the party's organizational matters. On the report that Yediyurappa went to New Delhi with a suitcase, he said he is not aware of that.