B'lore: Two Ministers Loyal to Yeddi Meet Kumaraswami – Coup against Dissidents?
Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Nov 15: In a major development, two ministers loyal to the Chief Minister (CM), B S Yeddyurappa, met state president of JDS, H D Kumaraswami, at midnight on Thursday November 12 and held parleys with him. It is said that one of the ministers is from a city constituency and that the discussions that continued for about two hours, hovered on issues on the current imbroglio within the BJP.
The ministers reportedly, are worried over the way Yeddyurappa has been yielding to the pressure tactics of the Reddy camp. Some also feel that Yeddyurappa, fed up by the relentless pressure being brought on him by the dissidents, had deputed the ministers to consider the practicability of having truck with the JDS. There were reports earlier too, of the BJP leaders holding discussions with Kumaraswami, when the friction between the CM and the dissident camp were threatening to reach a point of no return.
It is being analyzed, that the CM has lost heart over the repeated claims of Karunakar Reddy that he would soon complete the half-completed movie on Karnataka politics. The CM is also worried over the fact that the dissident camp is raring for the scalp of two ministers loyal to him. Rumours also say that Karunakar Reddy is dissatisfied with his brother Janardan Reddy’s nod to Sushma Swaraj’s compromise formula of a ministerial berth for Shettar. He had wanted Shettar to be made the CM.
While Shettar has demanded ministerial berths to his confidants S A Ramadas and C T Ravi in addition to himself, the mining barons have been asking for accommodating their supporters, S K Bellubbi and M P Renukacharya. In the meantime, C T Ravi has indicated that he may accept the post of the state president instead being made a minister, as election for the president’s post is scheduled to be held next month.
Speaking at the Jindal Airport in Bellary on his way to Raichur for conducting the ‘Bhoomi puja’ for the rehabilitation works for the flood affected people of that district, Yeddyurappa told the pressmen that the party leaders will decide on filling up the post of the assembly speaker within a couple of days.
BJP Ministers Did Contact - Kumaraswami
JD (S) state president H D Kumaraswami confirmed on Saturday November 14 that BJP ministers had met him, recently.
It is true that two prominent ministers met me. However, the meeting was not a political one, clarified Kumaraswami to reporters. Crisis in BJP is not yet over and when finally differences are resolved, Chief Minister Yeddyurappa might have to pay the price by losing his chief ministership, he added.
He also said that JD (S) will not interfere in the internal affairs of the BJP as well as not try to gain out of the crisis BJP is going through.
Speculation was rife in the political circles that two BJP ministers from Yeddyurappa camp held talks with Kumaraswamy on Thursday evening to seek the JD(S) support to form an alternative Government, if situation warranted.
However, Yeddyurappa in Belgaum later in the day denied it saying there is no truth in Kumarasawami’s statement.