The former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa is learnt to have been pressuring MLAs and Ministers in his camp to resign in a bid to create a crisis for the Jagadish Shettar government.
According to sources close to Mr. Yeddyurappa, he has clearly told his supporters to take a decision on resigning as MLAs by January 20. The restless former Chief Minister is learnt to have told them, as part of the pressure-building tactics, that he would not mind parting ways with them if they do not make up their minds by January 20.
However, none of the Ministers are said to be ready to quit and all of them are keen on the government completing the full term and they being part of the ministry till the end.
It is learnt that Mr. Yeddyurappa is jittery about Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar preparing to present the budget. This is because Mr. Shettar may try to build a political constituency for himself through his maiden budget. Above all, the BJP is trying to project Mr. Shettar as an alternative leader among Lingayats — a community on which Mr. Yeddyurappa is strongly depending upon. Though political analysts point out that Mr. Shettar does not enjoy the status of a powerful Lingayat leader like Mr. Yeddyurappa, they do not rule out the possibility of the party making efforts to split Lingayat votes at least to an extent through Mr. Shettar at the helm of affairs.
Sensing this, Mr. Yeddyurappa has already started targeting Mr. Shettar and trying to expose lacunae in his administration.
Meanwhile, the BJP is in a dilemma on whether to issue show-cause notices to the 14 MLAs who violated its diktat by attending the Haveri rally of Mr. Yeddyurappa. According to a senior party leader, several rebels have told the party leadership that they would remain in the BJP fold. But they are learnt to have told them that they are facing a piquant situation as they cannot openly say this in the present juncture as they do not want to antagonise Mr. Yeddyurappa.
However, the party is learnt to have decided to adopt a wait-and-watch for their moves. “We will immediately serve notices followed by disciplinary action if these rebel MLAs including the 23 MLAs who attended the breakfast meeting presided by Mr. Yeddyurappa in Haveri issue any statements against BJP,” a senior BJP leader said.
Meanwhile, the appointments to nearly 30 various boards and corporations is likely to be made in about three days to provide political accommodation to senior party workers and MLAs as part of the flock-keeping exercise by the BJP.
