The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka appears to be on the verge of another crisis with seven Ministers from the camp of the former Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa, on Saturday submitting their resignation letters to him to bring pressure on the party leadership not to ignore him. Mr. Yeddyurappa is facing a CBI probe.
Two other Ministers, who are away in their constituencies, will reportedly submit their resignation letters to Mr. Yeddyurappa on Monday. The beleaguered leader, who is struggling to retain his political influence and keep his flock together, is expected to decide on the course of action by Monday.
Those who submitted their resignations are: Shobha Karandlaje, Basavaraj Bommai, Umesh Katti, C.M. Udasi, M.P. Renukacharya, V. Somanna and Murugesh Nirani. They are believed to have taken the decision after holding several rounds of consultations with him.
Though submitting their resignations to Mr. Yeddyurappa technically does not mean anything, as such letters have to be given to the Chief Minister, the episode is being viewed as an effort by the Yeddyurappa camp to target Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda.
The Yeddyurappa camp is upset with the Chief Minister and State president K.S. Eshwarappa for writing a letter to the high command in which they have accused six Ministers from this camp of indulging in anti-party activities.
Ever since this letter, written in March, was leaked to the media recently, Mr. Yeddyurappa's supporters have been demanding that Mr. Gowda convene a legislature party meeting to discuss the matter. But Mr. Gowda has firmly ruled it out.
Meanwhile, a delegation of four legislators, including Minister Balachandra Jarkiholi from the Chief Minister's camp, has reached Delhi to appeal to the high command to desist from yielding to pressure from the Yeddyurappa camp.
The party organisation is waiting for a move by Mr. Yeddyurappa to decide its action. However, party sources said there was no threat to the government adding, “The Ministers would have submitted their resignations to the Chief Minister had they been serious about quitting.”
