BJP top brass hears out BSY, Gowda

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The BJP indicated on Tuesday that it might accede to the demand by the Karnataka faction led by former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to replace incumbent Chief Minister D.V. Sadanand Gowda with Lingayat leader Jagdish Shettar.

But a final decision in this regard will be taken only after the conclusion of the July 19 presidential election.

The central leadership, including BJP president Nitin Gadkari, state in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan and general secretary (organisation) Ramlal held several meetings with Mr Gowda, Mr Shettar and state unit chief K.S. Eshwarappa. Mr Pradhan later told reporters that all the major Karnataka leaders had given their views to the top brass.

“We are moving towards a solution. Whatever the decision... it will be within the party framework,” said Mr Pradhan.

Mr Shettar, with Mr Yeddyurappa’s support, has so far led the rebel faction, claiming the support of around 70 BJP MLAs of the total 120 in the 225-member Assembly.

Mr Eshwarappa had said earlier that the party was hopeful of a solution to the current crisis, and that any decision by the parliamentary board would be binding and acceptable to both factions.

“The BJP parliamentary board will take a decision on the current crisis and whatever decision is taken will be binding on us,” Mr Eshwarappa said here.

The parliamentary board is the highest decision-making body of the BJP. He said the differences between the BJP leaders in the state were not irreconcilable and will be sorted out.

The nine dissident cabinet ministers in Karnataka had taken back their resignations on Monday, reportedly after they were promised that their demand for making Mr Shettar the Chief Minister will be looked into once the presidential poll on July 19 is over.

Mr Yeddyurappa was forced to step down as CM after he was arrested last year in an illegal land denotification case.