Yeddyurappa hopes crisis will be resolved today

A beleaguered Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa expressed hope, on Friday, that the crisis faced by his government will blow over very soon. |

"Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley is engaged in finding a solution to the crisis and I hope by Friday evening some solution will emerge," Yeddyurappa, whose removal some of his partymen have been demanding, told media-persons in Bengaluru. "The central BJP leadership is aware of the differences of opinion that has surfaced among leaders in the state and also the problems," the chief minister said after holding parleys with Jaitley.

Yeddyurappa has been facing revolt from three ministers from Bellary district--tourism minister G Janardhana Reddy, revenue minister G Karunakara Reddy and B Sreeramulu--who were spearheading a movement seeking change of his leadership. The chief minister had been accusing the three ministers of indulging in dissident activity and laying impediments to flood relief works which he planned to take on a war footing. He said Jaitley had told him to focus on rehabilitation and development work and now his top priority was rehabilitation of people in flood ravaged areas. "Keep silent. Do not react on the differences of opinion. Leave the issue to me. It is my responsibility. I will inform the party's central leadership and it will be resolved smoothly," Yeddyurappa said quoting Jaitely.

Jaitley returned to Delhi, summoning Yeddyurappa, Revenue Minister G Karunakara Reddy, who has been at the centre stage of the revolt and state assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar, a rallying point for rebels for further consultation. Jaitely, who is also in-charge

of BJP affairs in Karnataka refused to set any time frame for resolving the crisis, but, however, exuded optimism for early end to it. "There is no change in the leadership of Yeddyurappa, whose government is functioning well", he said before his departure from the city even as rebels insisted "leadership change is the only solution to the crisis".

Karunakara Reddy, who was invited by Jaitley for another round of talks today said "problems faced by MLAs has been brought to the attention of the Central leadership", but declined to comment on the demand for change of guard. Jaitley called Shettar on Thursday night in a bid to persuade him to accept ministerial berth, but the Lingayat leader, whose aspirations to join the Yeddyurappa ministry last year was not fulfilled, stuck to his stand of not accepting it.

The stiff stand taken by Reddy brothers and health minister B Sreeramulu brought the parleys to a deadlock. Janardhana Reddy, who continued to camp in Bellary district to monitor the development, said, "the state needs an able and good leadership to ensure that the BJP government complete its five year term. Sreeramulu who has also been taking a swipe at Yeddyurappa in the last three days, in a significant development called on Shettar and assured him to mobilise the support of MLAs in his favour. Sreeramulu told the media that they would abide by the decision of the party high command, but stressed that opinion of legislators be elicited before arriving at any conclusion.

Karunakara Reddy and Shettar have been summoned to Delhi by Jaitley on Friday. Sources in the CM's secretariat said they were not aware of the tour plans of Yeddyruappa.