Power struggle in Karnataka shifts to Delhi

The internal power struggle in BJP in Karnataka shifts to the national capital with dissident leaders claiming majority support of MLAs and seeking to intensify their demand for removal of chief minister BS Yeddyurappa.

The dissidents led by the Reddy brothers are expected to meet Central leaders on resolving the crisis in the party's only government in the South.

Assembly speaker Jagadish Shettar, who is emerging the rallying point for the Bellary brothers—revenue minister G Karunakar Reddy and tourism minister Janardhana Reddy—and their associate health minister B Sriramulu are expected to put up their case before the Central leaders in Delhi.

Sriramulu claimed the support of 60 MLAs in the 117-member BJP legislature party.

Asked about the rebels' claim, Yeddyurappa, who visited the famous Kukke Subramanya temple in coastal Dakshina Kannada district to seek divine blessings, declined to talk about dissident activities, saying, "The party high command has asked me to keep mum (on such matters)."

The pro-changers are angry with the style of functioning of the chief minister and are demanding a leadership change.

Yeddyurappa is understood to have offered the deputy chief minister post to Shettar to placate the rebels but they are adamant.

Shettar, however, stuck to his stand that he would not be joining the Yeddyurappa ministry as part of a compromise formula mooted by the party to restore peace in the state unit.

"Right now, I do not contemplate resigning as it would create more confusion. I will await the outcome of my talks with party high command," Shettar, who also met RSS leaders in Bangalore today to discuss the current situation in the party, told reporters.

"My stand has been known already and debated publicly. There will be no change in it," Shettar said.

During their stay in Delhi, the dissidents are also likely to meet LK Advani and party president Rajnath Singh. Senior leader Sushma Swaraj is also likely to talk to these rebels to reach a consensus.

Swaraj holds considerable clout among the rebels since she contested the Lok Sabha by-election election from Bellary against Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Meanwhile, senior party leader Ananth Kumar accused Congress and the JD(S) for fomenting rebellion in the BJP leadership in Karnataka. He, however, hoped that a solution will be found out.

The rebels have been summoned to Delhi after senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley failed to resolve dissidence against the chief minister.

Revenue minister G Karunakara Reddy, brother of Janardhana Reddy, denied reports that he was engaged in conciliatory talks with an emissary of Yeddyurappa.

"When the senior leader Arun Jaitley has already summoned all leaders for further parleys over the crisis to Delhi, where is the question of holding conciliatory talks with anyone here," Karunakara Reddy told PTI in Bangalore.