Bangalore: The B S Yeddyurappa faction on Saturday launched a blistering attack on Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda accusing him of being influenced by the opposition JDS and not taking the state ministers into confidence.
A day after nine ministers tendered their resignation, the faction sought to highlight the reasons for their action, ruled out “compromise” and reiterated that making their nominee Jagadish Shettar Chief Minister of the state was their main demand.
“The Chief Minister is mostly running the administration on the diktat of JDS (of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda) whether it’s issue of development, constituencies and Ministers portfolios”, C M Udasi, one of the nine Ministers, told reporters.
He said it’s clear from the conduct of the Chief Minister that he is under the influence of JDS.
Udasi reiterated that there is a trust deficit and bonding between the Ministers and the Chief Minister and their relations had strained in the last three-four months.
“I can give many examples”, Udasi said.
As a PWD Minister he should have been consulted regarding the Shiradi Ghat road project, which was proposed to be developed under public-private partnership with Japanese assistance, but it was not done, he added.
Udasi asserted that Sadananda Gowda ordered an enquiry against Excise Minister M P Renukacharya on a complaint by a JDS leader in Dakshina Kannada district, while S Suresh Kumar was called and discussion held with him when he resigned.
He also alleged that when the Supreme Court appointed Central Empowered Committee sought a report from the state vis-a-vis illegal mining case against B S Yeddyurappa, the Gowda government did so “within 24 hours”, while on another occasion when a court sought a report on illegal mining vis-a-vis three former Chief Ministers (S M Krishna, N Dharam Singh and H D Kumaraswamy), the court directive itself was “hidden”.
Udasi recalled that in March this year, Sadananda Gowda had written to party president Nitin Gadkari complaining against six Ministers.
“The way he (Sadananda Gowda) conducted himself, it’s clear that he does not have confidence in us; We also have trust deficit in him”, said Udasi, who was flanked by other resigned Ministers.
He said Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje who is out of station had also submitted her resignation letter through them and it should have been received by the Chief Minister.
Udasi and Water Resources Minister Basavaraja Bommai dismissed reports that the nine Ministers were instigated by Yeddyurappa. “It’s pure lie”, Udasi said.
He refuted accusations hurled against Yeddyurappa that the former Chief Minister was responsible for the fresh crisis, in an obvious statement made by Labour Minister B N Bacchegowda, who has thrown his weight behind Gowda.
“When we have resigned, there is no question of compromise”, Bommai said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda’s camp on Saturday hit back saying two Ministers identified with the group would resign this afternoon expressing strong opposition to the change for leadership.
Minister Anand Asnotikar said he and Balachandra Jarkiholi would tender their resignation as they want to send a “message” to the party’s central leadership against any move to replace Gowda.
Asnotikar said the Yeddyurappa faction is adopting “pressure tactics”.
“Sadananda Gowda should not be dislodged at any cost. If such a situation arises (if Gowda had to step down), it’s better to go for elections”, he said.
Asnotikar appealed to other Ministers supporting Gowda to also tender their resignations to express solidarity with the Chief Minister.
Dharmendra Pradhan, in charge of party affairs in Karnataka, arrived here on Saturday to begin consultations in a bid to end the crisis facing the BJP government.
Pradhan was deputed by the party high command here to try and defuse the latest crisis gripping Karnataka.
Soon after arrival, he drove to the party office and was closetted with state unit president K S Eshwarappa for more than an hour devising strategies to resolve the crisis.
Home Minister R Ashok, who accompanied him, said the party general secretary would invite all leaders for talks and expressed the hope the crisis would be resolved.
“There is no faction in BJP. Let the media not project it to the people that there are groups in BJP”, he told reporters. (PTI)