Bangalore: Ruling BJP in Karnataka on Sunday
plunged into a crisis with former Chief Minister BS
Yeddyurappa intensifying his power struggle by claiming
support of over half of party MLAs and demanded that the
central leadership convene a legislature party meet within 48
hours.
"55 legislators are here today. 15 more will join
tomorrow. I am confident that the BJP central leadership will
take note of all these developments and take an appropriate
decision as soon as possible," said Yeddyurappa, who is making
a renewed bid to get the party to reinstate him as Chief
Minister.
The BJP has a strength of 120 legislators, including the
Speaker, in the 224-member Assembly.
"Wait for 48 hours. It is not a deadline. I am sure the
party leadership will take a decision", he said, apparently
indicating that the BJP leadership will have to take a call on
his demand for reinstating him as Chief Minister before his
successor D V Sadananda Gowda presents his maiden budget in
the state Assembly on March 21.
He was talking to reporters after holding a meeting with
his supporters at his residence here.
At the meeting, Yeddyurappa loyalists decided to submit a
memorandum to BJP President Nitin Gadkari seeking a
legislature party meeting.
The BJP Karnataka strongman, who is keen on presenting the
budget himself, has set the new deadline hoping to regain the
lost chair, even as the state unit party president KS
Eswarappa firmly ruled out change of guard.
Amid the crisis, Chief Minister Gowda celebrated his 59th
birthday on a low key and declared he would present the
budget. Gowda, who called on Siddganga Mutt seer Shivakumara
Swamy at Tumkur to seek his blessings on his birthday,however,
ducked a query on the leadership change demand by Yeddyurappa
faction, remarking "it will be decided by central leadership".
Refusing to take note of the show of strength by
Yeddyurappa, Gowda said he had seen several political crisis
in the past and added "I am sure I will face the current
political crisis successfully".
Meanwhile, Minister for Municipal Administration
Bhalachandra Jarkiholi expressed unhappiness over the
dissidence activities in the party and threatened to quit
Assembly membership along with 19 others.
PTI
