Former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa’s show of strength on Thursday failed to live up to his expectations as many BJP leaders, who turned up at the luncheon meeting organised at his residence, disapproved of his demand for deposing chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda.
However, the meeting, attended by over 100 BJP MLAs, MLCs, MPs and senior leaders to exert pressure on the party high command to get a ‘suitable’ post for Yeddyurappa, might land him the post of state BJP president soon.
In all, about 67 MLAs, 18 MLCs and 11 MPs attended the meeting held on the eve of party national president Nitin Gadkari’s visit to Bangalore to chair the party’s chintan-manthan (brainstorming session) on February 24 and 25.
But the group of MLAs from the coastal region, who are loyal to Gowda, stayed way from the meeting, as did the Reddys’ faction from Bellary and the group loyal to municipal administration minister Balachandra Jarkiholi.
Though the meeting was expected to take a categorical decision, demanding the party high command reinstate Yeddyurappa as the chief minister, the presence of state president KS Eshwarappa and a message from the high command against precipitating a fresh crisis forced Yeddyurappa’s loyalists to hold their fire.
While many Yeddyurappa loyalists poured out their complaints against Gowda’s style of functioning, a large number of party MPs and MLAs are said to have expressed their opposition to any move to replace Gowda. However, they expressed their support for ensuring a ‘suitable’ post for Yeddyurappa. According to sources, only about 55 MLAs assured to stand firmly behind Yeddyurappa.
With his demand failing to get an appropriate response, an angry Yeddyurappa has, reportedly, threatened to chart his own course if the high command fails to take any decision on his demand by February 27.
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