K'taka BJP crisis: Yeddy rejects Gadkari's offer for talks

There appears to be no solution to the ongoing crisis in Karnataka. BS Yeddyurappa, who has parked 55 members of Legislative Assembly at a five-start resort in the outskirts of Bengaluru, has flatly rejected an invitation by Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari to hold talks.

Gadkari had invited Yeddyurappa to Nagpur to have a one-on-one discussion, but the former chief minister said he would send members of Parliament backing him to meet leaders in New Delhi. The message is clear that unless Yeddyurappa is reinstated as chief minister, the BJP could see a split in Karnataka. Yeddyurappa said that if the party did not meet his demands by evening he will boycott the budget session.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda informed the media that he was busy with the budget preparations and had not really looked into the current happenings. "I am functioning as the chief minister of Karnataka and will continue to do my duty. The issues that are being raised about the revolt are matters that need to be looked into by the party president. Even the decision to hold a legislature party meeting needs to be taken by the president," he said.  

K S Eshwarappa, the state BJP president and an archrival of Yeddyurappa, said, "The Centre has made it clear that Gowda will present the budget. We are a national party and will abide by the decision of the central leadership. The central leadership is aware of the on going situation and they are keeping a close watch on it."

In July, Yeddyurappa was forced by the BJP to quit office after a report on illegal mining indicted him for corruption. Last week, a court dismissed those charges.

For Rediff Realtime News of the BJP crisis in K'taka, click here