Even as the BJP gave a clean chit to its president Nitin Gadkari in cases pertaining to alleged fraudulent funding to his companies, voices of dissent within the party continue to hit the headlines. After the Jethmalanis, it was the turn of estranged former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who has also reportedly demanded Mr Gadkari’s removal as part of a deal to remain in the BJP. According to sources, Lingayat strongman Mr Yeddyurappa has placed three conditions before the BJP leadership in return for not breaking the party — one being that Nitin Gadkari be replaced as the party chief. This was conveyed to senior leader and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley who met the former Karnataka CM in Bengaluru on Sunday. The other two demands are making him the state unit leader of the party and projecting him as the chief ministerial candidate in the forth-coming Assembly polls in the state.
Mr Yeddyurappa had to resign as Karnataka chief minister in July 2011 after being indicted by the state Lokayukta in a mining scam. Even senior leaders in the party like L.K. Advani, Jaswant Singh, Shatrughan Sinha and Yashwant Sinha are reportedly not in favour of Mr Gadkari continuing as the party chief in the wake of the serious allegations levelled against him.
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Ralegan Siddhi will be ‘training centre’
Pratik Salunke
MUMBAI, NOV. 11
While social activist Anna Hazare inaugurated his apolitical movement’s new office in south Delhi on Sunday, Ralegan Siddhi would remain the main headquarters for the next movement and will act as a “training centre”, stated his close aides.
“We are in the process of forming a team of volunteers in every district who will then educate people. Eminent social activists from the country will train these volunteers in Rale-gan Siddhi. The focus of the training will be to brief people on eradicating corruption and ensuring election of candidates with a clean conduct. These volunteers will be asked to undertake a public education campaign to strengthen the cause,” said Datta Awari, a close aide of Mr Hazare in Ralegan Siddhi.
The small hamlet in Ahmednagar district in the state is set to play an important role in the next jan andolan. Mr Hazare has announced a nation-wide tour beginning January 30 to spread public awareness and aims to make team of volunteers in every district.