Senior BJP leaders have asked the Reddys not to act, speak or behave in ways that could bring a bad name to the saffron party
Senior BJP leaders have asked the Reddys not to act, speak or behave in ways that could bring a bad name to the saffron party
While the prospect of disqualification continues to loom large over the Bellary Reddys, the frustration has been compounded by the BJP high command, which asked the mining magnates to stop making any statements in public while the Opposition's padayatra is on.
u00a0While the Opposition is making a political issue out of illegal mining by launching a protest march from Bangalore to Bellary, the Reddys have been asked to file an explanation before the Election Commission on Monday on an office of profit complaint lodged by Congress leader K C Kondiah.
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| The BJP high command in Delhi has asked the Reddys to lay low after Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa updated senior leaders about the fluid political situation in the state. |
Kondiah had moved Governor H R Bharadwaj urging him to disqualify ministers G Janardana Reddy, G Karunakara Reddy and Sriramulu as there was a conflict of interest between the duties they were required to discharge as ministers and their status as mine owners.
Bharadwaj's aggressive stand on the issue, by calling the minister trio for explanation and further talking about their disqualification in public, before referring the matter to the Election Commission, had kicked up a controversy.
A BJP source said that the party high command in Delhi issued strict orders to the Reddys to lay low after Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who was also in Delhi, updated senior leaders about the fluid political situation in the state.
Yeddyurappa reportedly met senior leader L K Advani and National President Nitin Gadkari before they summoned the Reddys to Delhi.
"The high command advised the Reddys to be careful while the padayatra is on as any untoward incident would bring the party a bad name," said a senior BJP leader.
While Sriramulu had challenged the opposition leaders that they would face dire consequences if they come to Bellary, the Congress leaders had warned the government that they would hold the BJP responsible if anything untoward happened.
In the meantime, Yeddyurappa, with the high command's blessings, is understood to have been considering transferring officials considered to be favourable towards the Reddys in Bellary.
"While dropping anyone from the Reddy camp, from the cabinet is highly likely, the transfer of senior officials is almost imminent.
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If the chief minister can achieve his objectives, it would be a big blow for the Reddy camp," said the leader.
In the meantime, the Reddys are reportedly deliberating on working out a counter strategy, their lawyers have prepared a 52- page explanation to the office of profit questions raised in the election commission.
None of the Reddy brothers could be contacted by this reporter despite repeated attempts.
