BJP dissidents refuse to meet Yeddyurappa, crisis deepens

New Delhi/Bangalore, Nov 5 : Snubbing the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) efforts for a solution to the political crisis in Karnataka, dissident minister G. Janardhana Reddy Thursday rebuffed Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa's overtures for a meeting.

"I am not meeting the chief minister," Janardhana Reddy, who is tourism minister and is leading the 'oust Yeddyurappa' campaign with his elder brother, Revenue Minister G. Karunakara Reddy, said in New Delhi after meeting senior party leader M. Venkaiah Naidu.

The BJP leadership has been holding hectic deliberations in New Delhi with both factions over the past three days to end the differences that are threatening to bring down the party's first government in the south.

Janardhana Reddy's snub came within hours of Yeddyurappa expressing hope that he would be able to talk to the rebel leaders to sort out the turmoil.

Yeddyurappa, who reached the national capital late Wednesday for talks with party president Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders, told reporters Thursday morning that he was making all efforts to meet Janardhana Reddy.

"I will be meeting the Reddys today (Thursday)... Will hold talks with the national leaders... The issue will be resolved by evening," a confident Yeddyurappa, the BJP's first chief minister in south India, said in the morning.

But the billionaire brothers from Bellary would have none of it.

Janardhana Reddy, in New Delhi for three days, has also been meeting Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Naidu to convince them to throw out Yeddyurappa.

He said he was "confident the party leadership will take a decision in the interest of Karnataka and BJP".

Yeddyurappa also maintained that the central leadership had decided that he should continue as chief minister. "There is no question of change," he told TV news channels.

As the high drama continued in New Delhi, ministers supporting Yeddyurappa held a press conference in Bangalore to oppose his removal.

Minor Irrigation Minister Govind Karjola, Public Works Department Minister C.M. Udasi, Higher Education Minister Aravind Limbavali and Cooperation Minister Lakshman Savadi said the BJP had come to power in Karnataka and south India for the first time under Yeddyurappa's leadership.

"It is inappropriate on the part of dissidents to demand his removal, particularly when larger parts of north Karnataka had suffered heavy flood damage and the need of the hour was to focus on rehabilitation," the four ministers said.

The dissidents, led by Janardhana and Karunakara Reddy, have rejected the plea of Rajnath Singh and senior leader L.K. Advani to allow Yeddyurappa to continue as chief minister.

The Reddy brothers are billionaire iron ore mine owners and claim the support of over 70 of the 117 party legislators in the 225-member state assembly.

In the May 2008 polls, the BJP won 110 of the 224 elected seats in the 225-member assembly. It formed the government with the help of six independents, five of whom have been rewarded with ministerial posts. The Reddys are believed to have won over the independents using their financial clout.

Later, the Reddys also lured more than half a dozen Congress and Janata Dal-Secular legislators to the BJP.

--IANS