Ready to convene LP meet if high command says: CM

Under pressure from BJP party rebels, Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday asserted he was ready to convene the legislature party meeting if the BJP high command directed him to do so. “I have no problem in convening the legislature party meeting. The party high command permission is needed to call such a meeting. I will discuss the issue with the central leadership”, he told reporters, reacting to the rebels demand in this regard.

BJP National President Nitin Gadkari is currently busy, he said. MLAs loyal to rebel leader and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa had met yesterday and set a three-day deadline to Gowda to call the Legislature party meeting to discuss various issues, including development works to be initiated in their constituencies.

The dissidents, who have been gunning for Gowda’s ouster had said Yeddyurappa and Rural Development Minister Jagadish Shettar, whom they have projected as Gowda’s successor, would soon leave for Delhi for talks with central leaders. Yeddyurappa, who is sulking after repeated failures to get the Chief Ministership back with central leadership rebuffing him, has been pushing for Shettar, also a Lingayat like him, for the Chief Minister’s post.

The Chief Minister said he would discuss with the law department the Dharwad High Court bench setting aside the Government Order superceding Belgaum City Corporation and decide on the future course of action. Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa defended the MLAs demand for a legislature party meeting, which he claimed had not been held after Gowda took over as Chief Minister. He ruled out visiting Delhi to meet the central leadership over the Karnataka problem.