Yeddyurappa loyalists take on Gowda, accuse him of being under JDS influence

Bangalore, June 30 (ANI): Karnataka BJP strongman B.S. Yeddyurappa's loyalists on Saturday hit out at Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, and charged him of running the administration on the diktat of the Janata Dal Secular and not taking his Cabinet colleagues into confidence.

The nine Karnataka Ministers, who tendered their resignations on Friday, ruled out any compromise and reiterated their demand that Jagadish Shettar should be appointed as chief minister of the state with immediate effect.

C M Udasi, who held the PWD Ministry portfolio prior to his resignation, said: "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."

He further 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," he said.

Udasi recalled that in March this year, Sadananda Gowda had written to BJP President Nitin Gadkari and complained 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," he said.

Sadananda Gowda earlier today said that he has been assured by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership that the ongoing political turmoil in the state will be resolved smoothly.

Gowda, who met Karnataka Governor H.R. Bharadwaj at the Raj Bhavan here today, discussed the fresh crisis in his government.

"I also discussed with him the present political scenario, wherein I received nine resignations from my Cabinet colleagues. And yesterday night, I had a detailed discussion with the party president and our state in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan. They have expressed that everything will be resolved smoothly," he said.

"So, Dharmendra Pradhan is coming here. So, afterwards the matter will be discussed and we will take the decision," he added.

The crisis in the Karnataka BJP intensified on Friday with nine ministers loyal to Yeddyurappa resigned from the State Cabinet thereby projecting a show of strength in their campaign for ousting Chief Minister Gowda.

The ministers, who quit yesterday, include Jagadish Shettar (Rural Development), CM Udasi (PWD), Murugesh Nirani (Industries), V Somanna (Housing), Umesh Katti (Agriculture), Basavaraj Bommai (Water Resources), Revu Naik Belamagi (Libraries and Animal Husbandry), M P Renukacharya (Excise) and Raju Gowda (Small Scale Industries). (ANI)