BJP Karnataka crisis: No headway in sight yet

The BJP in Karnataka appeared to have made no headway in resolving the crisis facing it even after the party made state Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa dole out heavy concessions to the rebels by agreeing to induct the rebel candidate and Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar by dropping his confidante Rural Development Minister Shobha Karandlaje from the Cabinet. Mr Yeddyurappa, who has been asked by the party high command to stay back in Delhi for one more day yesterday, said he was willing to take everyone along by adopting an inclusive approach, but during the course of a TV interview with a Kannada news channel, the Chief Minister broke down before the cameras regretting ''the price he had to pay the Reddy brothers in return for peace.'' The administration needs to function every minute at a time when people were reeling under the after effects of one of the worst floods in north Karnataka, he said. ''I had to concede the demands to transfer Principal Secretary V P Baligar and drop Rural Development Minister Shobha Karandlaje at the command of party elders and in the interest of the people. I had to agree to this decision unwillingly and I hope I get pardon from God,'' he said with tears rolling down his eyes.

The rebel leader and Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy, who has been asked by the party leadership to wind up their camps outside Karnataka, reiterated his demand for change of leadership both at Hyderabad and Bangalore. He even expressed confidence that the central leadership would take the 'correct decision' in the interests of the party and the government. However, the party expects the rebels to fall in line notwithstanding their defiant postures outwardly. The Chief Minister went to pay obeisance at the Vaishnodevi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir, while the Reddy brothers are expected to be in Delhi after taking the 'blessings' from Goddess Chamundi of Mysore.

-- (UNI) -- 07DI13.xml

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