Nov. 23: The BJP leaders summoned the state unit president, Mr K.S. Eshwarappa, to participate in a meeting with them in New Delhi.
But there is every indication that in a bid to save the first ever BJP government in south India, the BJP central leaders have decided to back down and keep Mr Yeddyurappa in the saddle until the local body elections, which are likely in mid-December.
Mr Yeddyurappa, citing sustained attempts to destabilise his government by the Reddy brothers and their ally, the party general secretary, Mr Ananth Kumar, not only asked why neither had been sacked or faced disciplinary action for mounting one rebellion after another against him but also pitched strongly to continue for his full term.
High-level sources in the party insist that BSY’s position will be unassailable if the BJP wins 20 of the 30 zilla panchayats in the forthcoming elections.
“That’s his strategy. If he is allowed to establish the BJP at the grassroots level in the state, no one can touch him. They will have to let him continue.”
However, neither his family — who met the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Arun Jaitley, nor his supporters are celebrating just yet. Mr Yeddyurappa’s meeting with Mr Jaitley was said to be particularly rough after Mr Advani’s tirade against the man to whom they had entrusted Karnataka.