INDIA
The Karnataka CM almost presented a fait accompli to the Centre insisting that Lokayukta enquiry would suffice to stem the rot.
Under intense pressure to act against the illegal mining lobby in the state, particularly against some of his own cabinet colleagues involved in the mining business, Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa arrived in Delhi primarily to thwart all attempts at forcing him to order a CBI probe into the controversy. He almost presented a fait accompli to the Centre insisting that Lokayukta enquiry would suffice to stem the rot.
At the same time he virtually ruled out removing the controversial Reddy brothers from his cabinet at this stage. “There are no charges against any minister. But if there are charges, I will remove them within 24 hours,” he said after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and home minister P Chidambaram on Saturday.
The beleaguered CM met both Singh and Chidambaram ostensibly to neutralise the pressure mounted by Governor H R Bhardwaj during his recent visit to Delhi demanding removal of the Reddy brothers from the state cabinet. Yeddyurappa on the other hand tossed the ball in the Centre’s court by demanding a nationwide ban on export of iron ore to check its illegal export. The move is being viewed here in the political circles as a tactical ploy to divert the attention from the issue, which will involve taking action on cases of illegal iron ore export in Karnataka. The issue came into prominence after the State Lokayukta, Justice S Hegde, created a stir by offering his resignation alleging counter-pressure by the State administration to thwart his probe.
Sources in the Home Ministry said that the CM used his meeting with Chidambaram to counter the charges of inaction levelled against him by Bhardwaj and at the same time to convince him about the futility of a CBI probe when the matter was already under the Lokayukta’s consideration.
As Yeddyurappa moved from place to place, meeting senior BJP leaders, trying to put up a brave face. In a bid to wriggle out of the situation he offered to remove the controversial Reddy brothers from his cabinet if the charges of illegal iron export were proven true. “I will not hesitate to sack the Reddy brothers if there any proof comes out against them,” he said.
Even as he tried to fortify his position within his party by explaining his point of view to senior leaders such as L K Advani and the BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, the unrelenting Congressmen were also busy on Saturday, countering Yeddyurappa’s moves in self-defense. A group of Congress MLAs from the state also met the Prime Minister and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi demanding CBI probe into the mining controversy.
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