Bangalore: A day after receiving full
backing from the party's top brass, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa Tuesday said BJP's central leadership is coming
out with a "new formula" to end the week-long crisis following
dissidents' demand for his removal.
Continuing his conciliatory tone, Yeddyurappa recalled
the contribution of ministers Karunakara Reddy and Janardhana
Reddy, the two brothers who have been spearheading the
campaign for a change of guard, during government formation in
May last year when BJP fell short of a simple majority and
independents were roped in to back to BJP dispensation.
"Today with all humility, I want to tell you
something... It's true that in some bad moment, some political
confusion had taken place. When we were forming the
government, we needed the cooperation of Reddy brothers and
they gave the cooperation," he told reporters in Bellary, the
home district of the Reddy brothers.
"Thereafter because of some misunderstanding, there is
some confusion. The party's central leadership is correcting
this and they have spoken to them (Reddy brothers) yesterday.
The problem is being resolved with (senior party leader) H N
Ananath Kumar in the lead," he said.
At a meeting with the rebel leaders in Delhi yesterday,
the central leadership decided to rally behind Yeddyurappa,
credited with bringing the saffron party to power for the
first time in the South, though the decision failed to satisfy
the dissidents who remained firm on his ouster.
"Perhaps today, we are trying to resolve the issue by
coming out with a new formula," he added but did not elaborate
the issues to be discussed.
The rebels, sore with Yeddyurappa's style of
functioning, accuse him of ignoring them in decision-making.
A section of MLAs who have thrown their weight behind
the Reddy brothers has openly sought removal of Chief
Minister's principal secretary V P Baligar and Rural
Development Minister Shobha Karandlaje.
Baligar has been accused by some MLAs of ignoring them,
while the first time MLA Karnadlaje, the lone woman minister
in the Yeddyurappa Cabinet, has come under attack for her
closeness to the Chief Minister and the "prominence" that she
gets.
Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa also said he is visiting Delhi
on November 5 to invite Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit
flood-affected areas and personally see the devastation, so
that the state could expect more assistance from the Centre
for flood-relief programmes.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, November 03, 2009, 12:44