Bangalore: A crisis seems to be brewing within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka. Former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa has issued an ultimatum to his party. According to sources, Yeddyurappa has said that he should be reinstated as the Chief Minister by the February 27, failing which he will decide on his future course of action.
He also said that Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda was getting too close for comfort to his rival JDS chief HD Deve Gowda.
At a meeting of legislators convened by Yeddyurappa at his Race Course residence, an apparently restless Yeddyurappa gave a piece of his mind and exhorted his supporters to exert pressure on the party leadership to make him chief minister again, sources close to him said.
Yeddyurappa spoke about his key contribution in building the party from the grassroots level in the state, and questioned his removal, pointing to some chief ministers in other states continuing in office despite court cases against them.
Yeddyurappa was forced to resign more than six months ago after a Lokayukta report indicted him for illegal mining, and has in recent weeks been making vigorous behind-the-scenes efforts to regain the chief ministership. Yeddyurappa had helped Sadananda Gowda become the Chief Minister after he was forced to resign.
Yeddyurappa turns 70 on February 27 and has extended invitation to all his supporting legislators to attend a lunch hosted by him on that day.
When his reaction was sought, Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda said, "Setting up of a deadline and leadership change are media creations".
"Don't devote importance to the lunch-gathering," he said on the Yeddyurappa-convened meeting which he could have attended till the end, but could not as he had to participate in a function in Mangalore. Gowda visited Yeddyurappa's residence for a short while.
Asserting that there is no leadership change, the Chief Minister said, "I will present the budget. There is no doubt in it".
BJP President Nitin Gadkari is in Bangalore and met Yeddyurappa and Chief Minister Gowda on Friday to defuse the tension.
Gadkari will chair a brain-storming session of BJP MLAs and MPs. He will also assess BJP's poll preparedness.
(With additional information from PTI)
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