Karnataka political impasse continues

The political uncertainty shrouding the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka showed no signs of clearing, notwithstanding claims of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa that the crisis triggered by the Reddy brothers has been "resolved".

Yeddyruppa, who made a flying visit to the Vaishnao Devi temple near Jammu, returned to the national capital for another round of late evening consultations with senior party leaders as the dissidents in Bangalore rejected talk of compromise and stuck to their demand for change of leadership.

Senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters after the late evening discussions with Yeddyurappa and other senior leaders that there would be no change of leadership and there would be a "happy conclusion".

He said the chief minister has extended his stay in Delhi by a day to greet senior leader L K Advani on his birthday on Sunday.  He will also meet senior leaders.

"There is no question of working under pressure. But if questions have been raised by colleagues, they cannot be brushed aside," Naidu said apparently referring to the demands of the Reddy brothers and their grievances against the chief minister.

But he declined to go into details of the any compromise formula. Nor did the chief minister saying anything mentioning that the central leaders have asked him not to speak anything political. In a television interview, he also wept saying for "selfish ends" he has ditched "Shoba and Baligar" under pressure from dissidents who are led by Tourism Minister Janardhana Reddy and Revenue Minister G Karunakar Reddy.

He was referring to the transfer of his Principal Secretary V P Baligar and to the possible removal of his trusted minister Shoba Karandlaje.

The discussions at party leader M Venkaiah Naidu's residence in the evening are understood to be centred around a compromise formula.

This involves the possible removal of chief minister's trusted ministerial colleague Shobha Karandlaje, induction of Speaker Jagadish Shettar as minister into the Cabinet and rescinding the transfer of about 60 officials from Gadag and Bellary districts, the stronghold of the Reddy brothers.

The chief minister is said to be resisting the demand of the dissidents for removal of Home Minister V S Acharya and four others. He is believed to have promised restructuring of the cabinet and to take along all sides in governance.

"I am thankful to the party national leadership for reposing faith in my leadership and resolving the present crisis. The government will complete its full term under my leadership in the state," Yeddyurappa told reporters before leaving for Jammu.

"I am returning to the state today and will continue to tour the flood-affected areas. I will also review the relief and rehabilitation measures," Yeddyurappa said.

Yeddyruppa, however, refused to talk about the details of the compromise formula.

On Friday, he had said that in accordance with the wishes of the Reddy brothers he had already transferred his Principal Secretary V P Baligar and would be conceding some other of their demands.

In Bangalore, Janardhana Reddy maintained there was no change in the dissidents' stand and expressed hope that the party would take a "good" decision in a day or two.

"In the interest of the party, betterment of the state and in the interest of BJP workers, I am confident that the party high command will take a right, correct and a good decision," Reddy told reporters.

Reddy, who came here from Hyderabad this morning after a series of meetings with the BJP central leadership in Delhi, dismissed talk of any compromise formula to resolve the crisis.

"We are not aware of any formula. I don't know anything about it," he said on reports from Delhi that a compromise formula was being worked out to resolve the crisis.

To a question about the chief minister's claim that the crisis has been resolved, he said that they have placed the demands before the high command.

"We hope the party leaders will give a good leadership to Karnataka. I am 100 percent sure they will take a good decision in this regard," he said.

The Reddy brothers along with their supporter and Health Minister B Sriramulu met Shettar.