Deadlock ends a day after CM’s Vaishno Devi visit.
Strengthening Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa’s faith in visiting temples to seek blessings, the crisis he was facing from rebels out to depose him got resolved on Sunday, a day after his visit to Vaishno Devi.
This was the first serious crisis between the two groups and may not be the last. However, temporary the truce, the BJP’s first and only government in south India has been saved and it can hobble along.
Senior leader Sushma Swaraj made the dramatic truce announcement — ‘dramatic’ because it came just hours after rebel leader and Bellary mine owner G Janardhana Reddy said he was adamant on his demand for the CM’s removal.
Swaraj called it “a birthday gift for Mr LK Advani” as the veteran leader turned 82 on Sunday. “Both (Yeddyurappa and Janardhana Reddy) will go to LK Advaniji to seek his blessings. Party president Rajnath Singh and Venkaiah Naidu, Arun Jaitley will also reach there,” she said. A visibly elated Yeddyurappa said: “The issue has been resolved. We are together now. This problem will not arise again.”
In the presence of both Yeddyruppa and dissident leader G Janardhana Reddy, Swaraj said there was some “misunderstanding” and it has been removed. “We have asked them to go together and serve the people of Karnataka.
The “understanding” reached was that a coordination committee, that already exists in the state, would be expanded to accommodate one of the Reddy brothers, present Karnataka speaker Jagadish Shettar after he is made a minister and another minister of Reddy’s choice. Others on the committee are BS Yeddyurappa, Sadanand Gowda, and Anant Kumar. Rural development minister Shobha Karandlaje and Yeddyurappa’s principal secretary VP Baligar were removed earlier to appease the Reddy brothers.
The BJP high command did not accept their demand for Yeddyurappa’s removal. Senior leaders M Venkaiah Naidu, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj had reportedly told Janardhana Reddy on the phone that the Reddys must accept the compromise formula or face consequences.
The brothers, who wanted Yeddyurappa to step down, were trying to pitch for Shettar as chief minister.
They reportedly also added a fresh demand on Saturday, that the CM drop six of his ministers. Yeddyurappa ruled it out. Their demands for removal of flood relief levy of Rs1,000 per lorry and revoking transfers of officials in Bellary area were also not accepted, though the CM agreed to post “good officers” in Bellary.
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