BS Yediyurappa to host dinner for BJP MLAs amid reports of leadership change in Karnataka

Bengaluru: Amid strong speculations about the leadership in Karnataka, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa will host a dinner for all the ruling BJP legislators on July 25 to mark the completion of two years of his government in office.

According to official sources, the CM has invited all ruling BJP legislators for dinner on Sunday (July 25th) at a city hotel. They said no legislature party meeting has been called till now.

Earlier there were reports that the BJP legislature party meeting will be convened on July 26, on the occasion of completion of two years in office, during which some clarity was expected regarding the speculations about the leadership change.

Yediyurappa, who is completing two years in office on July 26, visited Delhi last week, meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President J P Nadda.

The trip raised questions in some quarters if the party is now working out a succession plan.

On his return from the national capital, Yediyurappa had, however, rubbished talks in some quarters that he is on his way out and asserted that the central leadership has asked him to continue in the post. 

Amid heightened speculations about his resignation, more than 30 top seers from the powerful Lingayat community met and Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday and extended their support to him.

Prominent Veerashaiva-Lingayat political leaders and seers have thrown throwing their weight behind him amid his resignation rumours.

Several seers and leaders of the dominant community, which is estimated to form about 16 per cent of the state's population, have cautioned the BJP against any move to dislodge the 78-year-old Lingayat strongman from the Chief Minister's post.