No change in leadership in Karnataka: BJP

The high command of the Bharatiya Janata Party has made it clear that there shall be no change of leadership in Karnataka.

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who is in Bangalore to sort out the conflict between the Reddy brothers of Bellary and Chief Minister B S Yedyurappa, has made it clear that the leadership will not change in the state.

State BJP president D B Sadanand Gowda informed mediapersons that Jaitley had held meetings with both the chief minister and the Reddy brothers on Wednesday evening. During the meet, the Reddy brothers had reportedly demanded that the chief minister should be changed. They had also demanded from Jaitley that the toll on mining lorries be scrapped.

Jaitley had reportedly advised the Reddys that it was not the right time to make such demands and that the two parties should instead concentrate on rehabilitation work for flood victims in the state.

The Reddy brothers had on Wednesday ignored the chief minister and laid the foundation stone for relief works for flood victims in Bellary. Despite Yedyurappa's requests to not go ahead with the project individually, the Reddy brothers had laid the foundation stone and rejected government assistance.

State Revenue Minister Somshekhar Reddy said he did not wish to speak about politics for another week. He indicated that the matter was not closed as yet and that they needed time to discuss the issue.

During the meeting, the chief minister reportedly requested Jaitley to stop the Reddy brothers' plans, saying they were causing hindrances in the government's functioning. He reportedly also told Jaitley that the Reddy faction should stop mixing their mining business with politics.

Jaitley has reportedly assured to look into the matter.