Openly defying the party State leadership, loyalist ministers, several MLAs and MLCs held consultations with the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, where the winter session of the Legislature is going on.
In an attempt to demonstrate his strength, the former Chief Minister visited Belgaum on Friday and held consultations with his loyalists. He challenged the party leadership to take action against legislators supporting him.
Discussions
Ministers Umesh Katti, C.M. Udasi, Murgesh Nirani, M.P. Renukacharaya, Shobha Karandlaje, V. Somanna and B.J. Puttaswamy held talks with former Chief Minister at conference hall and later at a chamber here.
“I am not here to invite my MLAs and Ministers for the convention in Haveri [on Sunday]. Ministers and MLAs had requested me to come here to join breakfast and also invited to Suvarna Vidhana Soudha. As I have already said, I requested MLAs not to attend the Haveri meeting”, Mr. Yeddyurappa said.
However, soon after his arrival at a private hotel for breakfast, seven Ministers, four former ministers and more than 20 legislators rushed to greet him. “Let them take action if they have guts,” Mr. Yeddyurappa later told reporters.
Among those MLAs who met him included Mumtaz Ali Khan, Laxman Savadi, C.C. Patil and Hartal Halappa (all four former ministers), B.P. Harish and Jagdish Metgud, Vijay Sankeshwar, MLC, S.R. Leela, MLC, Dr.Y.C. Vishwantah, Madal Virupaksha and Thippeswamy.
On what message he was sending through this breakfast meeting with his loyalists midway through the winter session, he said that it was to convey to the media that he was not alone. Many were ready to resign the BJP and join the KJP but he had advised them to hold back for the time-being.
Mr. Yeddyurpapa also held discussions with Speaker K.G. Bopaiah, Siddaramaiah and M.C. Nanaiah, leaders of the Opposition in the Assembly and Council respectively, on the Cauvery issue.
