
The Reddy brothers on Tuesday persisted with their demand for a leadership change in the state even as BJP president Rajnath Singh reiterated that any change in the chief ministership was not possible. While there’s said to be unanimity on retaining Yeddyurappa in the state, sources say there are clearly two views in the BJP on how far the party can go to appease the Bellary lobby or Reddy brothers in the state.
While Rajnath maintained “I said yesterday what I had to say on the issue”, the Reddy brothers — both ministers in the B S Yeddyurappa Cabinet — refused to budge from their position. While Karunakar Reddy claimed in Bangalore that “Rajnath had never talked about retaining Yeddyurappa in the state,” Janardhan Reddy met senior leader Sushma Swaraj and reiterated his demand for a “better leadership in the state”.
“In the interest of BJP and the workers in Karnataka, we need a very good leadership in the state. Whatever my stand is, I am not changing,” said Tourism Minister Janardhan Reddy, after meeting senior leader Sushma Swaraj.
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa arrives in the capital late on Wednesday and he’s scheduled to meet central leaders on Thursday.
In Bangalore, Revenue Minister G Karunakar Reddy returned to work on Tuesday for a video conference with officials in the flood-affected districts of the state, but there was no indication of a let-up in the crisis.
Soon after the meeting, Karunakar said no compromise had been struck following the his brother Janardhan’s meetings with senior national BJP leaders.
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