BJP leaders hear views of rebel Karnataka factions

New Delhi, Nov 3 : BJP central leaders today continued to hear the views of the warring Karnataka factions supporting and opposing Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, even as they made it clear that they would consider no demand for change of leadership in the state but were open to hear their grievances.

Sources said senior leaders Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj continued to hear the dissidents.

Those who met the leaders included senior party leaders from Shimoga like Karnataka Power Minister KS Eswarappa and DH Shankaramurthy, who have crossed swords with the Chief Minister in the past.

State Tourism Minister Janardhana Reddy, the eldest of the Reddy brothers who had one round of meeting with with Mr Jaitley yesterday was among those who met Ms Swaraj, considered close to the Reddy family ever since her unsuccessful bid from Bellary Lok Sabha seat against Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Mr Yeddyurappa's supporters, including Home Minister VS Acharya, have already presented their views before the high command and have received positive response that there will be no change of leadership.

The BJP leadership is not taking up the Karnataka problem immediately as it has to decide on its nominees for the coming Assembly polls in Jharkhand, a BJP leader said.

However, it does not mean that the powers of the Chief Minister's men will not be pruned in the light of grievances.

The BJP as a national party doesn't appear in a mood to succumb to the demands of the ouster lobby but some party leaders are associated with the Reddys.

Despite all the troubles in the BJP, the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), who have no love for Mr Yeddyurappa and his style of functioning, have chosen to remain silent when the BJP men were involved in infighting.

Perhaps their hate for the Reddy brothers outweighs their dislike for the Chief Minister.

Bellary, a strong fortress of the Congress till a decade ago, is now relegated to the backseat with many of its stalwarts in the mineral-rich district falling by the wayside after the emergence of the Reddy brothers. The brothers have mining interests in this border district falling between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

--UNI

(c) 2009 Published with permission from United News of India.
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