Yeddyurappa ready to announce new part under support with Congress today?

 

'Hold it! I go my way; BJP High Command cannot destroy me politically.'

Bangalore, May 14 - In a surprising development, Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje this morning met Ahmed Patel, Political Secretary to UPA Chairperson and Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi in Delhi.

The meeting assumes significance as it comes close on the heels of Yeddyurappa yesterday praising Sonia Gandhi at a function in Bangalore in which he is reported to have said that the Congress party always supported party members who were in trouble, unlike the BJP.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will submit his resignation to the Legislative Assembly seat at 4 pm today, according to highly placed sources in the State BJP.

It is also learnt that the beleaguered former CM will send his resignation to BJP national President Nitin Gadkari.

Though Yeddyurappa has said that he would resign alone, the air is thick with rumours that some of his staunch followers in the State Cabinet and Legislature may also follow suit.

Earlier, rumours were rife that Yeddyurappa was planning to table a no-confidence motion against Sadananda Gowda’s government. It was however eventually shelved as Yeddyurappa reportedly failed to garner sufficient support from the MLAs.

According to party sources, Yeddyurappa, along with 40 other MLAs including nine Ministers, are likely to quit the Assembly this evening.

Former MLA and Chairman of Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation M.D. Lakshmi-narayana, who addressed a press meet at Yeddyurappa’s Dollar’s Colony residence this afternoon, said that a total of 41 MLAs, including nine Ministers have sent in their one-line resignation letters to Yeddyurappa. Also, seven MLCs supporting Yeddyurappa have tendered their resignations and more legislators are likely to follow suit, he added.

The Yeddyurappa camp has demanded that Speaker K.G. Bopaiah, who is in Kodagu, must immediately come to Bangalore in view of the political developments.

Meanwhile, Bopaiah is in Ponnampet town of his constituency, listening to public grievances. He will not be going to Bangalore today, it is learnt.

Former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who is in the vortex of a political storm in the State, began his day by paying a visit to Siddaganga Mutt in Tumkur and seeking the blessings of Sri Shivakumara Swamiji.

He was accompanied by Tumkur Rural MLA Suresh Gowda and others. He later returned to Bangalore and held a breakfast meeting at his Race Course Road residence, which was reportedly attended by several Ministers and legislators.

Even as Yeddyurappa is said to be seriously contemplating on quitting the BJP, senior BJP central leader Arun Jaitley is learnt to have called on Yeddyurappa this morning and advised him against taking any hasty political decisions.

Amidst all these hectic political activities in BSY camp, Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda, who had air-dashed to Delhi yesterday, returned to Bangalore this morning. Later, the CM attended a party meeting at BJP office in Malleshwaram to discuss strategies for the forthcoming MLC elections, which will be held for six seats from the Graduates’ and Teachers’ constituencies