Online BusinessYeddyurappa confident of hanging on
Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday vented his ire on the legislators engaged in “political games” and said the party was seriously viewing the activities of “some legislators who are on jolly trips” at a time when they should be providing relief to the flood-affected.
- Yeddy"s emissaries meet BJP top leaders - CM hints at action against dissident ministers - Shettar"s followers in dilemma - CAG guidance sought for auditing local bodies - Mysore gets first JNNURM bus stand - Rift between rebels, CM grows wider
Speaking at the flood-hit Amargol village in Ron taluk of Gadag district after laying the foundation stone for new houses, Yeddyurappa, without naming the legislators who have gone to Hyderabad and Goa, said they were on a ‘holiday’ when it was time to be in the flood-hit areas. “The party will take action against such MLAs,” he warned.
Yeddyurappa said, the crisis in the party would be over soon and there would be no change of leadership. “There is no question of compromising the interests of the state for political gains. All steps to safeguard the interests of the state would be taken with determination,” he asserted. The CM said his government would concentrate on the relief operations and development works not bothering about those trying to fish in troubles waters.
Gadag district in-charge minister B Sriramulu who did not participate in the foundation laying function at Amargol, was earlier in the day present at the Rajyotsava celebration organised by the district administration at Gadag. He told reporters, he was not participating in CM’s function at Amargol in the district and was returning to Bellary. While admitting that Reddys wanted a change of leadership in the state government, Sriramulu hastened to add that his camp would go by the verdict of the party high command.
“We have explained our stand to the party bosses in New Delhi. We hope they will do justice to our demands,” he said. When he was reminded of Yeddyurappa’s statement that he (Yeddyurappa) would continue to be the CM for another 10 years, Sriramulu remarked: “It all depends on the party high command. If the party top leadership wants Yeddyurappa to continue for 30 years as CM let him do so. We will accept party high command’s decision.”
Meanwhile, tourism minister Janardhan Reddy sprang a surprise when he landed in Hubli on Sunday evening. He visited the house of BJP leader Lingaraj Patil, a close confidante of Assembly Speaker Jagadeesh Shettar. The details of the discussions were not available immediately.
In Dharwad, minister for large and medium industries Murugesh Nirani expressed confidence that the party and the state government would tide over the present crisis and march forward under the leadership of chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. He blamed the media for hyping the “differences within the family” and “projecting them as dissidence”. However, when reporters insisted he explained the circumstances that led to the rift between the Reddy brothers and chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. He said the decision of the cabinet to levy toll on mining operators and transportation of mineral ores had been taken collectively and even revenue minister Karunakar Reddy had agreed to it.
But, later, there was opposition from tourism minister Janardan Reddy to levying the toll. “The government could not go back on its decision in the cabinet meeting and that sparked off the trouble.” The decision to shift Gadag DC N V Prasad and subsequent transfers of three key officials in Bellary district were other reasons for Reddys’ ire against CM, Nirani added.