BJP national leaders to meet party K'taka leaders on Tue

Bharatiya Janata Party's national leaders would meet senior party leaders of Karnataka on October 30 in New Delhi to work out a strategy to placate disgruntled party strongman B S and ensure that he does not quit the party, BJP state president K S Eshwarappa said on Saturday.

"Some important party leaders from Karnataka would meet central leaders at New Delhi on October 30 to iron out a strategy to placate Yeddyurappa and ensure he does not desert the party," he told reporters.

Asked whether the state leaders would suggest giving state party president or chief minister's post to Yeddyurappa during the meeting, Eshwarappa said the party has taken some decisions in Friday's meeting with Yeddyurappa.

"We will abide by any decision taken by the central leaders on giving Yeddyurappa chief minister or state party president's post. There will be no differences within the party on the issue," Eshwarappa said.

On earlier occasions too, there were talks of Yeddyurappa quitting the party, but he abided by the decisions of central party leaders including Venkaiah Naidu's request to continue in the party, Eshwarappa said. "I fully believe that Yeddyurappa will not leave the party," he said.

All party leaders and people of the state expects Yeddyurappa to remain in BJP, Eshwarappa said.

Angry over being neglected by the top brass after his ouster as chief minister, Yeddyurappa had earlier this month announced that he would quit BJP by December and float a new party.