Don't regret action against BJP leaders in K'taka: Advani

Admitting that the Bharatiya Janata Party was facing dissidence in Karnataka due to its "non-tolerance" towards corruption, senior leader L K Advani on Tuesday said he does not regret the way the party dealt with its leaders in the state following graft charges against them.

He also said that corruption has to be dealt with firmly whether it is the Congress or in BJP.

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Advani, who arrived in Goa from Karnataka on Tuesday as part of his yatra, told mediapersons that the BJP was facing dissidence in Karnataka due to the party's "non-tolerance towards corruption".

"The problem in Karnataka is because of the party dealing with the corruption issue firmly. Therefore, I don't regret anything. We have to deal with corruption firmly. Whether it is in Congress or in my party," he said.

He was answering questions on former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who had been asked by the party to step down from the post following corruption charges against him.

While Advani refused to talk about the illegal mining scam in Karnataka, he said that in Goa, the issue has to be dealt with very firmly.

"It (illegal mining) is a serious matter. Therefore, even though normally I have refused to speak on the local issues during the yatra, on Monday, during a public meeting, I said that because of illegal mining, those, who are into legal mining, are also getting adversely affected," Advani said.

"My party colleagues are also very active on this front. There is no question of handling the issue with kid gloves," he said.

Advani, who addressed two public meetings and several public receptions in Goa, would leave for Maharashtra on Tuesday evening.