Reddy brothers meet Karnataka speaker Shettar

Dissident Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, campaigning for Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa's ouster, on Saturday discussed the latest developments in the crisis in the party with Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar, who has emerged a rallying point for the rebels, in Bengaluru.

After his return from Delhi via Hyderabad, where rebel Members of Legislative Assembly are lodged, Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy, his brother Revenue Minister G Karunakara Reddy and their associate Health Minister B Sreeramulu held talks with Shettar for an hour.

The dissidents are projecting Shettar as their candidate to replace Yeddyurappa in the event of leadership change.

Janardhana Reddy, who placed the dissidents' demand for change in leadership before the party's central leaders, first briefed Karunakara Reddy and Sreeramulu before calling on

Shettar, who also returned from Delhi, on Friday night.

The BJP central leadership had summoned Shettar for talks after he expressed dissatisfaction over Yeddyurappa's style of functioning and joined the rebels' ranks in demanding change of leadership.

Sources close to Shettar said he was convinced that the party top brass does not favour leadership change at this stage and has evolved a formula to resolve the crisis.

It is not yet clear whether Shettar, whose desire to join the Yeddyurappa ministry last year did not materialise, will accept a ministerial berth or put forth a demand for inducting some of his supporters along with him.