This Article is From Nov 02, 2009

Solution to BJP's Karnataka crisis? Not yet

New Delhi: Karnataka BJP crisis is far from over as the Reddy brothers are not open to compromise at the moment; the rebels seem to be adamant on leadership change.

Sources have told NDTV that majority of rebel MLAs have problems with Yeddyurappa's style of functioning but not all rebels are ready to destabilise the state government.

A truce in its fractured government in Karnataka remains a distant dream, so the BJP is trying for next-best. It's  buying time.

On Monday, one of the two Reddy brothers challenging Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa was in Delhi to meet the central party's top leaders. The day ended with Janardhan Reddy insisting his brother, and their 60 MLAs, still want a change in leadership. On Sunday, the chief minister's supporters had told the same central party leaders that they stand firm with Yeddyurappa.

What's dividing the two camps? The Reddy brothers, mining barons, are ministers in the current BJP government. But Janardhan and Karunakara Reddy claim that they're tired of Yeddyurappa's dictatorial ways. In this confrontation, as with several in the past, what the Reddy brothers may really be concerned about are their business interests.

This latest crisis began after the chief minister introduced new taxes on all trucks, as part of an initiative to raise money for flood relief work. The move hit the Reddy brothers hard, since their mining empire uses hundreds of trucks everyday. The Reddys retaliated by launching their own flood relief work in their home turf of Bellary.

The Southern drama for the BJP erupts at a time  when the party is facing an intense factional war, which is blamed for having lost the party the Lok Sabha elections, followed by state assembly elections.

As a compromise, the Reddy brothers have been asked to drop their demand for sacking Yeddyurappa. In return, key officers and political appointments selected by  Yeddyurappa may be fired.  

Yeddyurappa apologises

Amid reports that many BJP MLAs from flood-hit areas in North Karnataka were preoccupied with dissident activities in resorts and hotels, ignoring the plight of those affected, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Monday apologised to the people and vowed to work for them.

"In the backdrop of the happenings, as Chief Minister, I apologise to the people of the state. We will take care to see such incidents don't take place in future and will work unitedly for the people's welfare," he told reporters here.

His comments come in the wake of reports that many MLAs and ministers loyal to rebel ministers from Bellary district - G Karunakara Reddy, G Janardhana Reddy and B Sreeramulu - seeking Yeddyurappa's ouster, camped in Hyderabad and Goa, when they should have been attending to grievances of people, suffering after the recent unprecedented floods.
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