Yeddy threatens to topple BJP govt in Karnataka

Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has entered rebel mode again. He is holed up with 30 loyal MLAs in a bid to pressurise the Bharatiya Janata Party central leadership to make him the chief minister again.

Even as the rebellion continued in Bangalore, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, state BJP chief K S Eshwarappa locked themselves in New Delhi with central leaders making a desperate bid to find a solution to the crisis.

Yeddyurappa's supporters have been stating that the BJP is wasting their leader without giving him any position. They also stated that Yeddyurappa has been granted bail in all cases against him and hence there is no precedent to keep him out of power. The central leadership is adamant that unless he is cleared with an acquittal, there is no chance of accommodating him in any post. However, Yeddyurappa's followers argued that he should at least be made state unit president.

Both Eshwarappa and Gowda, who are in New Delhi, feel that the central leadership ought to take a stance before the government falls.

Yeddyurappa is keeping his options close to his heart and may take a decision in a week or two. Yeddyurappa says that he is the one who built the party and hence there is no use in having many leaders for one party. However, Eshwarappa countered that by saying it is a party above individuals.

Yeddyurappa has been threatening to break the party and even has sent out feelers to the Nationalist Congress Party a couple of days back. His critics say that these are bargaining tactics and in today's scenario no one needs the BJP more than Yeddyurappa.