Karnataka crisis deepens, Reddy brothers unrelenting

New Delhi, Nov 5 : The political crisis in Karnataka's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government deepened Thursday as the dissenting Reddy brothers, who are demanding Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa's scalp, refused to meet him while the party central leadership reiterated that there would be no change in the chief ministership.

BJP president Rajnath Singh, after holding a meeting with Yeddyurappa and other senior party leaders, said there would be no change of guard in the state, the party's first government in the south, and that the chief minister's position was non-negotiable.

"Leadership change issue is not before me. Yeddyurappa will stay as chief minister. We are confident we will resolve the issue soon," Singh told reporters here, adding that a series of meetings was on to resolve the crisis.

Earlier, Yeddyurappa said: "Discussion is going on (to resolve the power tussle). It will take another one or two days to solve all the problems."

One of the Reddy brothers - Tourism Minister G. Janardhana Reddy, who has been camping in the national capital for the past few days - refused to meet the chief minister who had flown down Wednesday night. "I am not meeting the chief minister," Reddy said.

Janardhana Reddy and his elder brother, Revenue Minister G. Karunakara Reddy, are leading an 'oust Yeddyurappa' campaign for the past few weeks.

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

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

Yeddyurappa told reporters here Thursday morning that he was making all efforts to meet Janardhana Reddy.

"I will be meeting the Reddys today (Thursday)... We will hold talks with the national leaders... The issue will be resolved by evening," a confident Yeddyurappa said in the morning.

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

Janardhana Reddy has been meeting Rajnath Singh, and party leaders Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj to convince them to remove Yeddyurappa from the chief ministership.

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

As the drama continued to unfold 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 have suffered heavy flood damage and the need of the hour is to focus on rehabilitation," the four ministers said.

The Reddys have earlier 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.