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Amid mounting pressure from Mr B.S. Yeddyurapa for his reinstatement, the Karnataka Chief Minister, Mr D Sadananda Gowda, today said he has been assured by the BJP top brass that there would be no leadership change in the state.
Mr Gowda also indicated that the BJP defeat in the Udipi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha by-poll was due to party infighting.
“There is no leadership change... This issue is not there, there is no change of leadership. We will continue as it is,” he told reporters after meeting senior BJP leaders here.
Asked if the party leadership had asked him to step down, he said, “That question does not arise.”
No direction
On reports that top BJP leaders have reconciled to reinstating Mr Yeddyurappa, Mr Gowda said there is “no such direction from the Centre or Central leaders whom we met today...”
Mr Yeddyurappa, who has stepped up his campaign for his reinstatement ever since the Karnataka High Court set aside the Lokayukta order against him, is here to meet the BJP leaders.
Mr Yeddyurappa claimed he has no demands but his mission was obvious in that he would be meeting senior party leaders Mr L.K. Advani, Mr Nitin Gadkari and Mr Arun Jaitley.
Party strong
Mr Gowda said, “We have come here with regard to the present political scenario. We lost the elections. That is a very serious matter, because it is a constituency where our cadre and party is so strong... We are worried how we should go ahead with the organisation set-up and how we should take the government ahead. This is the only thing left for us.”
The Karnataka Chief Minister said he had met the party leaders.
Infighting
On whether the party lost the Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha seat due to infighting in the party, the Karnataka CM said, “I hope so”.
The seat was earlier represented by Mr Gowda himself.
He admitted that he has encountered problems since day one. “Right from day one, we got into power in Karnataka, this is continuing. There will be no problem for the Government. Only some small problem here and there.”
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