In a sudden development, BJP national president Nitin Gadkari and senior leader, Dharmendra Pradhan met public administration minister Balachandra Jarkiholi in Delhi late Tuesday night, apparently to gauge the mood of the party in Karnataka should former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa be reinstated as head of the government again.
Mincing no words, Mr Jarkiholi made it clear to them that he would resign with his group of 21 MLAs if Mr Yeddyurappa was made chief minister again, according to sources close to the minister. He also claimed that only 16 per cent of MLAs “sincerely” supported Mr Yeddyurappa while the others were sitting on the fence , ready to leave him any time. "Although most MLAs are unhappy with Mr Yeddyurappa , none of them are coming forward to openly admit it," he was quoted as saying.
The minister reportedly warned the party high command that the BJP in the state was acquiring the image of a ‘Lingayat outfit' thanks to Yeddyurappa loyalists which could prove costly for it in the long run as it could distance a majority of non-Lingayats who voted for it during the last elections. “All non-Lingayats will suffer if Mr Yeddyurappa returns to power as the key position will all go to his team of MLAs and MPs ,” he is said to have told the leaders.
Pointing out that Mr Yeddyurappa's supporters were preparing to hold a Lingayat convention in Gokak to counter the Panchamsali-Lingayat meet it had organised recently, the Jarkiholi group is reported to have warned that this would not only hurt the party's image but also succeed in dividing the community.