Archives for June 2021

Bengaluru: BJP national General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh on Friday warned of action against violation of party discipline as rumblings within played out in the open during his three day visit to the state, amid speculation about replacing Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

Though Singh, who had earlier ruled out leadership change, did not make any direct comments on the issue, he is said to have made it clear at the Karnataka BJP core committee meeting that Yediyurappa will continue as the Chief Minister.

In a gesture signifying that things are in his favour, Yediyurappa, who did not make any comments on what transpired at the meeting on the leadership issue, flashed the victory sign as he departed from the state BJP office.

“The leadership issue was not discussed… Yediyurappa is our leader, there is no change in that. Our in-charge Arun Singh has asked me to make it clear,” Revenue Minister and core committee member R Ashoka told reporters, briefing them about the meeting.

There was no question of replacing Yediyurappa, he said.

“The government will function under his (Yediyurappa) leadership. This is the clear stand,” he said, adding that it has been decided to take strict action against those making open statements on the issue.

Yediyurappa earlier in the day had downplayed the dissidence against him as he ruled out any political crisis in the state.

“There is no political crisis at all…what is happening is just because one or two people are saying something in the media, it is creating misunderstanding…these one or two people speaking against me is not new, they have been doing it since the beginning and it is getting highlighted,” he said, pointing out that Singh did not even meet those involved in such activities.

“There is no confusion or crisis, we are all together and united, and are focusing on the development work.

None of my cabinet colleagues are disturbed by any of these things…we will try and talk to those who are involved in such activities, and try to resolve things,” he said.

Speculations have been rife for some time now that a section of the ruling BJP is trying to push for unseating Yediyurappa, despite Singh, party state President Nalin Kumar Kateel and other senior leaders ruling out replacing the Chief Minister and asserting that the 78 year-old Lingayat strong man will continue in the top post.

This is mainly because of repeated open statements by some disgruntled legislators against the functioning of the government and its leadership, party sources said.

Aimed at putting an end to activities by some legislators that are causing embarrassment to the BJP and the government, the party is likely to take action against a few of them soon.

“Everyone should work together for the party… there are only two-three people (legislators) who are causing damage to the party and have hurt workers…definitely action will be taken against them at the right time…

we will try to talk to them first and make them understand, action will also be taken if necessary,” Singh said.

He said BJP is the world’s largest party and has a goverment in the state. Everyone has to follow discipline, he said, as he evaded questions on the leadership issue.

Despite being warned not to make open statements, disgruntled BJP MLC A H Vishwanath today once again demanded Yediyurappas ouster and levelled allegations of corruption and interference in the administration against his younger son and party vice-president, B Y Vijayendra.

“The government has approved the Upper Bhadra Project worth over Rs 21,000 crore.Is there money with the government? This is being done just for kickbacks,” he alleged.

Not willing to comment on Vishwanath’s statements, Yediyurappa said the high command would decide on what action should be taken against him.

On the charge against his son and kickbacks in an irrigation project, the CM they were all baseless allegations, were being unnecessarily made and done for political reasons.

To add to this, charges of phone-tapping and conspiracy to fix him by Hubli-Dharwad West MLA Arvind Bellad,who is said to be from the faction seeking Yediyurappa’s replacement, had caused further embarrassment to the party and the government.

However, Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and Tourism Minister C P Yogeshwar, who are also from the disgruntled group and had openly spoken against the government and Yediyurappa in the past, had maintained a low key during Singh’s visit.

These allegations against the government and its leadership had also resulted in a slug fest between the camps in favour of Yediyurappa and those seeking his replacement, even as Singh held a series of meetings with party leaders.

Singh had held meetings with Ministers and met 40-odd legislators individually from factions in favour of Yediyurappa, those against him and those seemingly neutral.

According to some BJP sources, he is likely to submit a report to the party’s national leadership.

A few legislators believe the party may go in for a cabinet shuffle, as many of them have complained about a lack of social and regional balance in the Yediyurappa ministry.

Briefing reporters about the decisions of the core committee meeting, Ashoka said it was decided to improve the image of the government and the party in the state and have a proper coordination between the two.

He said the party would hold its state executive on June 26 in Bengaluru, organise district executives from July 1 to 15 and mandal executive meetings from July 16 to 31.

Bengaluru: Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday hit out at the ruling BJP for not taking up the issue of Mekedatu reservoir project due to internal squabbling in the party.

In a series of tweets, he said the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin recently initiated steps to block the project that is detrimental to the interests of Karnataka.

“The measure of the Tamil Nadu government with respect to Mekedatu reservoir as well as Cauvery river is detrimental to the interests of Karnataka,” the JD (S) leader said.

“Unfortunately, the BJP government in the State, which is supposed to look into such issues, has been debilitated by internal squabbling,” he tweeted.

According to Kumaraswamy, Stalin had recently appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to give permission to Karnataka to go ahead with the construction of Mekedatu reservoir.

“Such an important project is gripped by uncertainty though the BJP is in power both at the State and the Centre.

This has proved wrong the BJPs promise of creating a heaven by using the advantage of being in power at both the State and the Centre,” Kumaraswamy said.

He appealed to Tamil Nadu government to allow the Mekedatu reservoir project saying that it would not harm the interests of Tamil Nadu.

“The Mekedatu project is not for irrigation, but taking care of only drinking water requirements. Stalin should realise this and co-operate with Karnataka with respect to the construction of reservoir,” Kumaraswamy said.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday ruled out any political crisis, even as the rumblings within the ruling BJP have come out in the open during the visit of its national General Secretary in-charge of the State Arun Singh, amid speculations in some quarters about his replacement.

The Chief Minister said that the BJP high command will decide on action against party MLC A H Vishwanath for his recent “open statements,” as he rubbished as “baseless” his allegations against his younger son and party vice-president B Y Vijayendra of interference in administration and “kickbacks” in an irrigation project.

“There is no political crisis at all…what is happening is just because one or two people (legislators) are saying something in the media, it is creating misunderstanding…these one or two people speaking against me is not new, they have been doing it since the beginning and it is getting highlighted,” Yediyurappa said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, about 60 legislators have met national General Secretary Arun Singh on Thursday, but these one or two people who are making statements were not even allowed to meet him.

“There is no confusion or crisis, we are all together and united, and are focusing on the development work. None of my cabinet colleagues are disturbed by any of these things…

we will try and talk to one or two people who are involved in such activities, and try to resolve things,” he added.

Speculations have been rife for some time now that a section of the ruling BJP is trying to push for unseating Yediyurappa, despite Singh ruling out replacing the Chief Minister and asserting that the 78-year old Lingayat strong man will continue in the top post.

MLA from Hubli-Dharwad West Arvind Bellad and Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal who are said to be from the faction seeking Yediyurappa’s replacement did not meet Singh on Thursday.

However, Tourism Minister C P Yogeshwar, who is also reportedly disgruntled, held discussions with him.

Not willing to comment on Vishwanath’s statements, Yediyurappa said, the high command will decide on what action should be taken against him.

Regarding his allegation against his son and kickbacks in an irrigation project, the CM said, “these are all baseless allegations and the Irrigation Department Secretary will clarify everything…unnecessarily such allegations are being made, there is no basis for it. It is being done for political reasons.”

Vishwanath has openly demanded Yediyurappa’s ouster, and levelled allegations of corruption and interference in administration against Vijayendra.

This has resulted in a slugfest, as it elicited sharp reactions from the faction supporting the CM, especially his political secretaries M P Renukacharya and S R Vishwanath.

To add to this, allegations of phone-tapping and conspiracy to fix him by Bellad, had caused further embarrassment to the party and the government.

Amid speculations about replacing him, Yediyurappa had earlier said that he will continue in the top post as long as the BJP high command has confidence in him, but had subsequently asserted that there was no confusion on the issue of leadership and that he will work for the development of the state during the remaining two years of the term.