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Rebels set ultimatum

B.S. Satish Kumar

G. Janardhana Reddy

BANGALORE: The activities in the dissident camp of the Bharatiya Janata Party picked up in Karnataka with the return of rebel leader and Minister G. Janardhana Reddy and Speaker Jagadish Shettar, who is being projected as an alternative leader by rebels.

The rebels have reportedly sent a message to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa that they would allow him to continue till the presentation of the next State budget if he dropped six Ministers close to him and also accommodated six MLAs from their side in the Ministry.

Sources close to them said that they had also set an ultimatum of two days for dropping the Ministers failing which they would again press for leadership change.

Mr. Shettar too is said to be reluctant to join the Ministry alone and reportedly insisting that his supporters should be sworn in along with him. They are also insisting that a core committee should be formed under the chairmanship of party national general secretary Ananth Kumar to make important decisions pertaining to government.

Meanwhile, Mr. Janardhana Reddy, who returned here on Saturday morning after meeting dissident MLAs camping in Hyderbad, lashed out at the Chief Minister and accused him of trying to prevent the Bellary Ministers from taking up rehabilitation work for flood victims.

Asked if the rebel group would still stick to its demand for a leadership change, he only said: “We are committed to all the demands raised by us earlier.” At the same time, he was hopeful that the high command would provide a “right solution.”

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