Bangalore, Nov 4 (PTI) : Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today sought to blame Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar for the ongoing crisis gripping his government in the wake of demands for his removal. 

Yeddyurappa said the decision to make Shettar, a prominent leader from north Karnataka, the Speaker was taken by the party leadership during government formation last year.

"Now, it's not me who can make him minister. I am just a pretence. Our high command would make him minister. The decision is taken by the party central leadership. We will make him minister," he told reporters in Bellary.

"For this reason (for becoming minister), there was no need to create confusion to such an extent," he added.
Shettar, who is being propped up by rebels as a choice to replace Yeddyurappa, reluctantly became the Speaker last year after the party central leadership insisted that he take up the post.

Shettar's supporters had insisted at the time that the move to keep him away from the ministry and make him Speaker, was an attempt by Yeddyurappa to contain his political growth.

Last week, as the crisis was deepening, the party's central leadership reportedly offered Shettar ministership, which he rejected.
Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa has warned dissident MLAs (camping in Hyderabad and Goa) that if they failed to rush to their constituencies and lead rehabilitation programmes for the flood-hit, he would visit those places and review the work.