Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Perennial rebel BS Yeddyurappa has been placated for now after some adroit management skills by the top rung of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Nonetheless, no one is sure how long the peace will last.
The party strongman and former chief minister of Karnataka has been in the news for the past week for taking on the incumbent Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda and threatening to quit the party and walking away with a chunk of MLAs. Yeddyurappa has been pitching for his re-instatement as CM of the southern state but with the Supreme Court directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the charges of illegal mining cases against him, giving in to his demands may not be possible for the time being.
As per reports, the party leadership can – at best – consider inducting more BSY loyalists in the Gowda ministry.
But the more pertinent question is why, inspite of BJP central leadership not buckling, the Lingayat leader is not quitting the party?
He may have threatened time and again to quit but the fact remains that Yeddyurappa's options are limited in the present situation.
If he precipitates the crisis in a rush of blood and impatience, and forces a snap poll, then he would be taking a huge risk as the CBI is all geared up to probe him in the illegal mining case.
It is being said that BSY was persuaded by senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley to cool down and give up his threat of quitting from the Assembly along with his supporters. He is also said to have promised Yeddyurappa to discuss his grievances with the leadership in Delhi.
Meanwhile, the Congress has made it clear that it was not in the mood to cosy up with the former CM, even though he praised Sonia Gandhi recently surprising many in the party and leaving the red-faced top leadership of the BJP scurrying for cover.
Yesterday, at a press conference, Yeddyurappa had alleged a conspiracy to oust him from the party. He blamed Karnataka Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda and BJP general secretary HN Anantkumar and Karnataka BJP chief KS Eswarappa for the crisis which has threatened to rock the first ever BJP government in the south.
Targeting Gowda, whom he had handpicked to succeed him, Yeddyurappa said, "Every day the CM made statements that are in nature to insult my 40 years of public life. He removed some persons whom I had appointed".
The Lingayat strongman went on to accuse Gowda of “hobnobbing” with JD(S) leaders in working against him. "The Chief Minister's first priority is JD(S) and not BJP," he said.
Yeddyurappa attacked Kumar accusing him of "poisoning the mind" of party veteran leader LK Advani besides making three vein bid to become chief minister.
Yeddyurappa claimed that he enjoys the support of more than 71 of the 120 BJP MLAs.
The state Assembly elections are due in Karnataka next year.
First Published: Tuesday, May 15, 2012, 09:25