Yeddyurappa gets a breather but dissidents want him out (Lead)
November 1st, 2009 - 8:27 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Nov 1 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday came out in support of beleaguered Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, his supporters said, but the dissidents continued to campaign for his removal.
Leaders of the rival BJP groups from Karnataka pursued their lobbying here, meeting party leaders including L.K. Advani, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley.
Several legislators and MPs belonging to both the camps - one supporting Yeddyurappa and another favouring the Reddy brothers of Bellary - are in the capital.
Revealing the thinking in the highest echelons of the BJP, state party president Sadananda Gowda said that Yeddyurappa would remain the chief minister.
Yeddyurappa backers — former MP Dhananjay Kumar and state Home Minister V.S. Acharya — met Advani here Sunday and said they had been assured that there would be no leadership change. They also met BJP president Rajnath Singh.
Acharya and Kumar also called on RSS pointsman and BJP general secretary Ramlal earlier and claimed his support in favour of Yeddyurappa.
Legislators and MPs supporting Yeddyurappa are again to expected to meet Advani.
The chief minister’s supporters claimed that the RSS wanted Yeddyurappa should continue in his post. The chief minister’s removal is being sought by the powerful Reddy brothers of Bellary.
The Reddy brothers, both ministers in the state cabinet, are lobbying to appoint assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar as the chief minister.
Shettar, 53, is close to the Bellary brothers - dissident ministers G. Janardhana Reddy (Tourism) and elder brother G. Karunakara Reddy (Revenue).
Shettar also met central party leaders, including Jaitley.
A senior party leader close to the political developments told IANS that “everything is under control and the CM is Mr. Yeddyurappa”. All issues would be sorted out in a couple of days, he said.
Asked whether the chief minister still enjoyed the support of the RSS and the BJP leadership, he said: “The Sangh is not against Yeddyurappa.”
Four-term legislator Shettar came to the BJP after being a member of the RSS and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
The BJP government in Karnataka, the party’s first in the south, has been facing turmoil for days.
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- Yeddyurappa will resign, says Karnataka BJP chief (Evening Lead) - Jul 28, 2011
- Yeddyurappa will continue to spell trouble for BJP (Comment) - Aug 06, 2011
- BJP central leadership assures firm support to Yeddyurappa - Nov 01, 2009
- Gowda to be chief minister Thursday, Yeddyurappa faces trial - Aug 03, 2011
- Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa to meet BJP high command today - Nov 04, 2009
- 'Explosive' mining report seems to 'implode' Karnataka BJP (Karnataka Newsletter) - Jul 29, 2011
- Karnataka dissident's choice Shettar in Delhi for talks - Oct 31, 2009
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- BJP, Congress face exodus threat in Karnataka (Karnataka Newsletter) - Dec 18, 2011
- Hectic parleys in Karnataka BJP for new leader - Aug 01, 2011
- Sadananda Gowda to be BJP's new Karnataka chief minister (Second Lead) - Aug 03, 2011
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Tags: acharya, assembly speaker, bharatiya janata party, bjp, dhananjay, dissidents, echelons, elder brother, gowda, home minister, jagadish, karnataka chief minister, l k advani, party leader, party leaders, party president, political developments, rajnath singh, state cabinet, sushma swaraj
