The Bharatiya Janata Party high command is expected to take a decision on the demand by B.S. Yeddyurappa to reinstate him as Chief Minister after the hearing by the Forest Bench of the Supreme Court scheduled for April 13.
The Forest Bench is expected to deliver its verdict on the recommendation by the Central Empowered Committee to order an investigation into the alleged bribery episode involving two real estate firms owned by Mr. Yeddyurappa's family members.
Similarly, the CEC which has been asked by the apex court to examine if there is a need to order a CBI probe into the alleged role of Mr. Yeddyurappa in illegal mining, is scheduled to hear the matter on April 11.
This has raised curiosity as there is a possibility of the CEC making its stand clear on whether a CBI probe is needed on that day.
According to sources in the BJP, the party high command is waiting for the outcome of these cases to take a final call on Mr. Yeddyurappa's demands.
At the same time, the party leadership is learnt to have decided not to prolong the issue indefinitely. “The high command will be meeting soon after April 13 to take a call Mr. Yeddyurappa's demands,” they said.
“In this power tussle, the balance appears to be tilting towards Mr. Yeddyurappa. The only issues which are standing between Mr. Yeddyurappa and the chief ministerial post are the cases before the Supreme Court and the CEC. He may get the chief ministerial post if the Forest Bench of the apex court as well as the CEC do not make any harsh observations against him or desist from ordering any high-level inquiry against him,” highly placed sources in the party said.
Explaining the process involved in decision-making by the party high command, the sources noted that normally the party central core committee would first meet to discuss the issue. This would be followed by a meeting of the parliamentary board that would decide on the chief ministerial post. “Now, the ball is in the court of the Forest Bench and the CEC,” they remarked.
Meanwhile, party national general secretary Dharmendra Pradhan, who is also in charge of Karnataka affairs, returned to Delhi on Monday morning after holding day-long informal interaction with leaders of the party State unit including Mr. Yeddyurappa.
Mr. Pradhan's visit is being interpreted in party circles as an effort to provide crucial inputs to the party high command on the scenario in the State unit.
