02 August,2011 06:52 AM IST | | B V Shiva Shankar
Yeddyurappa's 64-MLA strong group diminished to less than 40 after Reddy brothers reportedly switched camps to join hands with Ananth; Shettar now gaining edge over Sadananda in CM race
With a number game in progress to choose a new chief minister for the state, Jagadish Shettar is seen to be slowly gaining the edge over Sadananda Gowda. The rival groups headed by B S Yeddyurappa, who resigned as CM on Sunday, and H N Ananth Kumar, MP from Bangalore (South), are lobbying hard with the legislators camping separately at two five-star hotels in the city.
Come by my side: While Yeddyurappa is pushing Gowda, MP from
Chikkamagalore, Ananth is supporting Shettar, minister for rural
development and panchayat raj. File pic
While Yeddyurappa is pushing Gowda, MP from Chikkamagalore, Ananth is supporting Shettar, minister for rural development and panchayat raj. The 64-MLA-strong Yeddyurappa group on Sunday appeared to be under pressure with some MLAs crossing the fence. The major blow came from the Reddy brothers, who are believed to have switched camps to join hands with Ananth.
The mining barons are claiming around 12 MLAs are with them and after they changed sides, the strength of the Yeddyurappa camp is said to have come down to less than 40.
Delicate balance?
On the other hand, numbers in the Ananth Kumar camp has crossed 40 and some 20 MLAs are non-aligned.
"The high command knew that the strength of the Yeddyurappa camp would come down with time and the idea of postponing selection of a new CM to August 3 was a part of the strategy. While it was expected to be done on Sunday, I think the plan has succeeded," said a senior BJP leader.
Ananth himself was in the fray with senior leader L K Advani's support, but most of the MLAs oppose his candidature. That has forced the patriarch to advise his blue-eyed boy to retire from the race. Ananth then pitched Shettar's name into the fray, as he is a Lingayat leader like Yeddyurappa. This move seems to have paid off and is swinging in his favour.
Larger picture
Ananth has reportedly made a strong case against the Yeddyurappa camp, keeping the next parliament elections in focus. The state's main source of election funds for the BJP and the CM position is critical. Yeddyurappa may turn vindictive towards Advani, an aspiring prime ministerial candidate, and it would be better for him to have a amiable person at the helm.
Shettar is most suitable, as he can break Yeddyurappa's monopolistic hold over the Lingayat community.
While the Ananth Kumar camp appeared to be gaining ground yesterday, in a significant development, pontiffs of major Lingayat matts are said to have expressed their solidarity to Shettar, which is another blow for Yeddyurappa.
Standing strong
"It is time to send a strong signal that the BJP is a party with discipline and it is important to discourage the elements defiant to the high command. But that does not mean that there is difference within the party. Yeddyurappa has had his say in choosing the new leaders and talks are on," said K S Eswarappa, BJP state president.
Eswarappa was also one of the front-runners till Sunday, but clarified that he was not in the fray.
While Dharmendra Pradhan, in-charge of party affairs in the state, is stationed at Bangalore, Arun Jaitley, leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha, is expected in the city today. With the high voltage political drama hangover apparently clearing, party sources said that the name of the new CM would be finalised by sometime this evening.
