New Delhi/Bangalore: Even as the BJP announced that it had "advised" BS Yeddyurappa to resign immediately, the Chief Minister of Karnataka was in the midst of an emergency meeting in Bangalore - one clearly intended to telegraph his popularity among ministers and MLAs in his state. Thirty two BJP leaders are attending this meeting, eight of these are minister.
After a meeting at party president Nitin Gadkari's house, the BJP said its parliamentary board had decided that there would be a change in leadership in Karnataka. Spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad also announced that Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh will fly to Bangalore tomorrow to serve as observers while Karnataka MLAs select their new leader.
Mr Yeddyurappa was in Delhi till early this morning. He flew to the capital immediately after a report on illegal mining indicted his family and him for accepting kickbacks from a mining company. The report -prepared by Santosh Hegde, Karnataka's Lokayukta or ombudsman - has also found other senior politicians in Karnataka guilty of facilitating or benefiting from illegal mining. Among those faulted are the Reddy brothers, mining barons from Bellary, and senior ministers in Mr Yeddyurappa's cabinet.
Possibly because of their shared predicament, Janardhana and Karunakara Reddy are likely to stand by Mr Yeddyurappa, a man against who they led a sizeable revolt a few years ago. The Reddys had gathered around them a hefty portion of MLAs, who insisted that the central leadership remove Mr Yeddyurappa for what they described as his autocratic style of functioning. At that time - and on many later occasions - the BJP stood by its man, one who delivered a southern state for the first time to the party.
But with Mr Hegde's report - and his recommendation that Mr Yeddyurappa be prosecuted under the Prevention of Corruption Act - the Chief Minister's cons supercede his popularity with voters and the powerful Lingayat community to which he belongs, as well as his remarkable survival skills.
Next week, the monsoon session of Parliament begins. The BJP has planned a high-volume attack against the UPA for corruption - a frighteningly long list of financial scandals have hurtled into the headlines in the last few months, gifting the BJP an opportunity to strike. The Congress has repeatedly said that any allegations of corruption are ill-advised by the BJP, considering its loyalty to Mr Yeddyurappa despite recurring charges of nepotism and financial bawdry. A series of land scams, for example, were allegedly constructed via the Chief Minister's office. He is accused of freeing up or denotifying land acquired cheaply for public projects; this prime property was then made available to his children and their companies, say his critics.
Mr Yeddyurappa cancelled some land allotments after media reports and a sustained campaign by his arch-enemy, HD Kumaraswamy, the Opposition leader who was once Chief Minister of Karnataka. Mr Kumaraswamy has also been indicted by Mr Hegde in his report on mining; he is accused of sanctioning out-of-turn licenses to two mining companies.
Till as recently as this morning, Mr Yeddyurappa insisted that there was no question of his resignation. He argued with his party leadership that the charges against him in the report prepared by Santosh Hegde - Karnataka's Lokayukta or ombudsman - are not new.
The fact that the BJP had to publicly announce after its meeting in Delhi this morning that it has advised Mr Yeddyurappa to resign straight away suggests that it anticipates stiff resistance from Mr Yeddyurappa.
Contenders For Next Chief Minister
Jagadish Shettar
He is currently the Rural Development Minister in Karnataka. Mr Shettar is not a nationally-known figure, but being a Lingayat like Yeddyurappa can work in his favour. Or it can work against him - if Yeddyurappa wants to stay the dominant Lingayat leader.
Eshwarappa
He is the Karnataka BJP president and belongs to the backward caste. Mr Eshwarappa, too, is not a nationally-known figure.
Sadananda Gowda
Former BJP state president, Mr Gowda is a non-controversial leader. He belongs to the Vokkaliga caste.
Ananth Kumar
Long considered a Yeddyurappa rival, Mr Ananth Kumar is believed to be working against him behind his back. Publicly, however, he and Yeddyurappa put on a united front. Mr Kumar is known at the national level. But he is a Brahmin so does not command a large vote bank.
VS Acharya
Former Home Minister, Mr VS Acharya is a Yeddyurappa loyalist. He has faced trouble many times in the past. Mr Acharya is a Brahmin, which may work against him.
Suresh Kumar
He is the current Law Minister and has a very clean image. As a Brahmin, he may not have a large vote bank to count on but a non-controversial image may work in his favour.
Shobha Karandlaje
She is not really in the line to succeed Yeddyurappa. And her proximity to the Karnataka Chief Minister may work against her. Ms Karandlaje belongs to the Vokkaliga caste.
After a meeting at party president Nitin Gadkari's house, the BJP said its parliamentary board had decided that there would be a change in leadership in Karnataka. Spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad also announced that Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh will fly to Bangalore tomorrow to serve as observers while Karnataka MLAs select their new leader.
Mr Yeddyurappa was in Delhi till early this morning. He flew to the capital immediately after a report on illegal mining indicted his family and him for accepting kickbacks from a mining company. The report -prepared by Santosh Hegde, Karnataka's Lokayukta or ombudsman - has also found other senior politicians in Karnataka guilty of facilitating or benefiting from illegal mining. Among those faulted are the Reddy brothers, mining barons from Bellary, and senior ministers in Mr Yeddyurappa's cabinet.
Possibly because of their shared predicament, Janardhana and Karunakara Reddy are likely to stand by Mr Yeddyurappa, a man against who they led a sizeable revolt a few years ago. The Reddys had gathered around them a hefty portion of MLAs, who insisted that the central leadership remove Mr Yeddyurappa for what they described as his autocratic style of functioning. At that time - and on many later occasions - the BJP stood by its man, one who delivered a southern state for the first time to the party.
But with Mr Hegde's report - and his recommendation that Mr Yeddyurappa be prosecuted under the Prevention of Corruption Act - the Chief Minister's cons supercede his popularity with voters and the powerful Lingayat community to which he belongs, as well as his remarkable survival skills.
Next week, the monsoon session of Parliament begins. The BJP has planned a high-volume attack against the UPA for corruption - a frighteningly long list of financial scandals have hurtled into the headlines in the last few months, gifting the BJP an opportunity to strike. The Congress has repeatedly said that any allegations of corruption are ill-advised by the BJP, considering its loyalty to Mr Yeddyurappa despite recurring charges of nepotism and financial bawdry. A series of land scams, for example, were allegedly constructed via the Chief Minister's office. He is accused of freeing up or denotifying land acquired cheaply for public projects; this prime property was then made available to his children and their companies, say his critics.
Mr Yeddyurappa cancelled some land allotments after media reports and a sustained campaign by his arch-enemy, HD Kumaraswamy, the Opposition leader who was once Chief Minister of Karnataka. Mr Kumaraswamy has also been indicted by Mr Hegde in his report on mining; he is accused of sanctioning out-of-turn licenses to two mining companies.
Till as recently as this morning, Mr Yeddyurappa insisted that there was no question of his resignation. He argued with his party leadership that the charges against him in the report prepared by Santosh Hegde - Karnataka's Lokayukta or ombudsman - are not new.
The fact that the BJP had to publicly announce after its meeting in Delhi this morning that it has advised Mr Yeddyurappa to resign straight away suggests that it anticipates stiff resistance from Mr Yeddyurappa.
Contenders For Next Chief Minister
Jagadish Shettar
He is currently the Rural Development Minister in Karnataka. Mr Shettar is not a nationally-known figure, but being a Lingayat like Yeddyurappa can work in his favour. Or it can work against him - if Yeddyurappa wants to stay the dominant Lingayat leader.
Eshwarappa
He is the Karnataka BJP president and belongs to the backward caste. Mr Eshwarappa, too, is not a nationally-known figure.
Sadananda Gowda
Former BJP state president, Mr Gowda is a non-controversial leader. He belongs to the Vokkaliga caste.
Ananth Kumar
Long considered a Yeddyurappa rival, Mr Ananth Kumar is believed to be working against him behind his back. Publicly, however, he and Yeddyurappa put on a united front. Mr Kumar is known at the national level. But he is a Brahmin so does not command a large vote bank.
VS Acharya
Former Home Minister, Mr VS Acharya is a Yeddyurappa loyalist. He has faced trouble many times in the past. Mr Acharya is a Brahmin, which may work against him.
Suresh Kumar
He is the current Law Minister and has a very clean image. As a Brahmin, he may not have a large vote bank to count on but a non-controversial image may work in his favour.
Shobha Karandlaje
She is not really in the line to succeed Yeddyurappa. And her proximity to the Karnataka Chief Minister may work against her. Ms Karandlaje belongs to the Vokkaliga caste.
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