Former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and his supporters upped the ante on change of leadership during three back-to-back meetings on Tuesday, but changed their plans of taking the battle to New Delhi at the eleventh hour following a call from senior leader Arun Jaitley that the party would consider their demand positively.
Sources close to the former chief minister told Deccan Chronicle that Mr Jaitley reportedly requested the former chief minister not to precipitate matters as senior central leaders had decided to take definitive stand on affairs in the state unit. Therefore, he saw no reason for either Mr Yeddyurappa or his confidants to rush to Delhi for a meeting with senior leaders. Mr Jaitley’s call was preceded by one from leader in-charge of Karnataka affairs, Dharmendra Pradhan, triggering hopes of a change in leadership, the sources added.
The sources said Mr Yeddyurappa and rural development and panchayat raj minister Jagadish Shettar were all set to leave for Delhi on Wednesday to take up the issue of change in leadership as they had mustered the support of 45-50 legislators. The sources said the former chief minister and his supporters would, however, pursue their ‘oust’ Sadananda Gowda campaign irrespective of the outcome of his application for advance bail in Karnataka High Court. In case the court rejects his application, Mr Shettar would lead the campaign with public works minister C.M. Udasi assigned the task of keeping in touch with party legislators, the sources added.