BJP cool to BS Yeddyurappa’s tantrums

Former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa’s continued tantrums to regain the reins of state BJP failed to move BJP national leaders, who have gathered for a party national executive at Suraj Kund in Haryana.

The three-day executive, which began on Wednesday, was to prepare the party for the forthcoming elections in several states and also the subsequent Lok Sabha elections. The absence of Yeddyurappa from the national executive and his threats of quitting the party if it continues to ignore him, came up for a brief discussion on the sidelines.

According to BJP sources, state chief minister Jagadish Shettar, BJP state president KS Eshwarappa and other state leaders are expected to have detailed discussions with BJP national president Nitin Gadkari and other senior leaders on Thursday and Friday regarding the issues of reshuffling the portfolios of some of the ministers in Shettar cabinet and selecting a new state BJP president.

The mood in the BJP camp is unlikely to cheer up Yeddyurappa, who is camping at the Art of Living Ashram of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to have a brief break from active politics. “The BJP national leaders are not in a position to fulfill Yeddyurappa’s demand to make him the state BJP president. With the focus shifting to win the forthcoming assembly elections in several states, the party leadership is  opposed to bring back Yeddyurappa for the key post,” said a senior state BJP leader, who is participating in the national executive.

“Any move to appoint Yeddyurappa as the BJP state president will erode the BJP’s campaign in all other states and the next Lok Sabha, as the party has decided to make corruption as one of the main issue of campaign to take on Congress. BJP will be further embarrassed if Yeddyurappa is again sent to jail in any of the corruption cases he is facing,” explained the sources .

The former chief minister is expected to quit the party along with his staunch loyalists, if he is not given any important post in the party. However, he is sending confusing signals on his future plans, whether he would float a new outfit or join any other political party, if he walks out of BJP.

BSY’s aides will get more  portfolios: Renukacharya
Though BJP high command is not showing any sign of bowing to the demands of former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, his close aide and excise minister MP Renukacharya feels that it is the party which badly needs Yeddyurappa, and not the other way round.

The minister also expressed confidence that Yeddyurappa’s followers in the cabinet would get additional portfolios as per the demand raised by the former chief minister.

Renukacharya hoped that Yeddyurappa would not quit BJP. “I believe Yeddyurappa will not quit BJP. He has built the party in the last forty years and it came to power because of him. Not getting a rightful position in the party has disappointed him.

“The party leaders who had assured him of a decent position in the party should deliver the promise. They should realise that his experience is needed for party’s growth. BJP will definitely come to power if he becomes the party president,” the minister said.

Renukacharya further said that Yeddyurappa was deeply hurt by the attitude of BJP leaders, who have failed to keep their promise of making him the BJP state president. “This is not the way to treat a man who toiled to build the party and introduced several innovative welfare programmes for the poor.”

“One should know that because of him the state government has waived the loan of farmers and road transport corporations employees called off their recent strike. During his tenure as the chief minister he has provided huge benefits for almost all sections of the society and people still remember his service.”

Hopeful of more portfolios
Reacting to questions on Yeddyurappa demanding additional portfolios for his supporters in the cabinet the minister said, “I hope, Small Scale Industries minister Raju Gowda and I get additional portfolios. The excise department can generate income for the state government, but cannot build roads and houses for people. Taking into consideration that Yeddyurappa had urged chief minister Jagadish Shettar to give additional portfolios, we hope that he will fulfill that.”

“What is wrong in asking one more portfolio for ministers who have done good work,” Renukacharya snapped, when asked about the need for giving additional portfolios for Yeddyurappa loyalists.