Yeddyurappa gains more support of MLAs

Former CM is planning to show strength and pressurise the party central leadership to reinstate him as head of the BJP govt in State

In a show of strength, BJP strongman of the state B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday, mobilised a sizeable number of legislators at a meeting convened by him apparently to exert pressure on the party central leadership to reinstate him as chief minister. Yeddyurappa also roped in Rural Development Minister Jagadish Shettar and Home Minister R Ashoka who were in rival camp when he backed D V Sadananda Gowda to succeed him after being forced to quit as chief minister last August over his indictment in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining. Yeddyurappa’s “demonstration” ahead of BJP President Nitin Gadkari’s arrival to preside over a two-day brainstorming session for the ruling party legislators beginning on Friday is seen as an attempt to step up pressure on the party leadership to reinstate him as chief minister.

 

“We discussed the current political situation, on the coming Udupi-Chikamagalur Lok Sabha byelection and on strengthening the party organisation,” the party’s state unit president K S Eshwarappa told reporters here, adding the issue giving “position” to Yeddyurappa did not come up for discussion. Party sources said a team of state BJP leaders would meet Gadkari and brief him on the happenings in the party and government. It’s no secret that Yeddyurappa has fallen out with Sadananda Gowda, who was hand-picked by him for chief ministership, as the latter was seen in recent times of seeking to assert himself and coming out of Yeddyurappa’s shadow.Meanwhile a Lokayukta Court on Thursday issued summons to former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, his family members and others in an illegal land denotification case. The summons, directing the accused to be present in the court on March 16, were issued by Special Lokayukta Court Justice N K Sudhindra Rao. Summons were issued to Yeddyurappa, his two sons, B Y Raghavendra and B Y Vijayendra, son-in-law Sohan Kumar and three others.

Two other accused, Bharathi Shetty, MLC and Selva Kumar have been dropped from the case as there was no prima facie evidence against them. Taking a cognisance of the case filed by advocate Sirajin Basha (the fourth case out of the total five cases filed by him) the court observed that there was prima facie evidence to proceed against Yeddyurappa and his family members. The case pertains to illegal denotifcation of government land in Hebbal, Sreerampura and allotment of site in RMC-II stage. This is the third corruption case (out of the five) in which Yeddyurappa has been issued summons.

In August last he was issued summons in two such corruption case resulting in his arrest during October. Yeddyurappa spent 24 days in Judicial custody and secured bail from High Court.