Stating that both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are trying to create confusion on the issue of according special status to Hyderabad Karnataka region under Article 371, the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has demanded that the amended Bill be passed in the winter session of Parliament itself.
Speaking to presspersons on his way to Bagalkot in Hubli on Sunday, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that MPs from the State should raise the issue in Parliament and fight for the cause of the State. Mr. Yeddyurappa said that national parties such as the Congress and the BJP were not interested in the development of the State and that was why there was need for regional parties to protect its interests.
To a query, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that Rajya Sabha member M. Venkaiah Naidu should have taken steps keeping in mind the fact that he was representing Karnataka. But he had acted otherwise, he said.
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Mr. Yeddyurappa clarified that there was no confusion with regard to his joining the Karnataka Janata Paksha and that he would tender resignation as MLA and to the primary membership of BJP on November 30. He said that as he did not want to impose another byelection on the people of the State, he was tendering the resignation on the said date.
‘Not at expected level’
Referring to the performance of Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that development of the State hadn’t occurred at the expected level under Mr. Shettar.
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On whether the BJP government would complete its term, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that it all depended on Mr. Shettar and State BJP president K.S. Eshwarappa. Mr. Yeddyurappa reached Hubli on Saturday night and several of his supporters and those willing to join the KJP met him at the Circuit House where he stayed overnight.
On Saturday night, his supporters, including BJP MLA S.I. Chikkanagoudar, MLCs Mohan Limbikai and Vijay Sankeshwar, the former Minister and Congress leader Jabbar Khan Honnalli, the former MLA Ashok Katwe and some HDMC councillors and ABVP members participated in a meeting at a hotel in Hubli to discuss the organisational plans of the party.