The interview of Sushma Swaraj (BJP), leader of opposition in Lok Sabha has caused ripples in the already troubled waters of the main opposition party both at the centre and in Karnataka.
The interview of Sushma Swaraj (BJP), leader of opposition in Lok Sabha has caused ripples in the already troubled waters of the main opposition party both at the centre and in Karnataka.
Sushma Swaraj, in her interview with an English language weekly, when asked about her role in the ascension of the Reddy brothers to Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa’s cabinet, said “There cannot be a bigger lie. Let me tell you the truth, I have no hand in the political making of the Bellary brothers. I had nothing to do in making them ministers or building up their stature as political leaders.” She went on to allege that the decision to give cabinet berths to Janardhan and Karunakar Reddy was taken by Jaitley and senior leaders M Venkaiah Naidu and Ananth Kumar.
A member of the party from Karnataka speaking to DNA on the condition of anonymity said, “There is a fierce rivalry between Sushmaji and Arun Jaitleyji. This quarrel among two main leaders will certainly affect the image of the party.” He added however, that it is ironical that Mrs Swaraj should be taking a different position now because when chief minister BS,Yeddyurappa said that he could include only two Reddy brothers in the cabinet - Karuna and Sriramulu - she was the one who insisted on the inclusion of the third brother, Janardhan Reddy. It was because of her pressure that Mr Yeddyurappa and Mr Jaitley had to give in to her demands.
Former BJP chief Rajnath Singh, in a bid to downplay the controversy said that all decisions related to Karnataka, including appointment of Arun Jaitley as in-charge of the state, had his consent. “Reports of a rift between Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley are baseless. It is true that Arun was in-charge of Karnataka. I had sent him there as I was president (of BJP) and there were chances of a controversy during Cabinet formation,” Singh said. He also accepted that in 2009, when the Reddy brothers revolted against chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, he had sought the services of Swaraj to talk to the mining barons to end the crisis.
Current BJP president Nitin Gadkari seemed to snub the controversy created by Swaraj by coming out with a sharp statement on saturday where he said that there is “…absolutely no question of any individual or individuals influencing this process in any particular manner. Any debate about the choice of ministers in the Karnataka government at this stage in the media is totally unnecessary,” Gadkari said.
The differences among the BJP’s top brass have been simmering for a long time now, though they haven’t ever spilled over. Swaraj and Jaitley take care to project an unified image, and the man who holds them together seems to be their mentor, LK Advani.
It is now accepted that it was Advani who had handpicked and handed over the leadership role in the two Houses of Parliament to Swaraj (Lok Sabha) and Jaitley (Rajya Sabha). Both are seen as his proteges, though the two leaders now stand on their own.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}