Was coup an insider's job?

BJP sources claim that Ananth Kumar plotted with JD(S) to grab Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa's position. B V Shiva Shankar reports

BJP sources claim that Ananth Kumar plotted with JD(S) to grab Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa's position.

With Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa more or less smug in the assurance that his position as chief minister will remain intact, the heat is now on H N Ananth Kumar, a BJP MP from Bangalore (South).


Up against the CM? Ananth Kumar, Yeddyurappa's political rival within
the party, was allegedly hopeful of grabbing the CM's seat in the recent
turmoil. File pic

Kumar, Yeddyurappa's political rival within the party, was hopeful of grabbing the CM's seat in the recent turmoil. However, it is now being alleged that he tried to sabotage Yeddyurappa's post with the help of H D Devegowda-led JD (S). The party leadership is apparently irate and has chided Kumar for his behaviour.

According to sources in the party, the Yeddyurappa camp has convinced the high command about Kumar's allegiance with JD(S) boss H D Deve Gowda, who had allegedly engineered the political coup to topple Yeddyurappa.

"While everyone was speculating on Yeddyurappa's ouster, the chief minister was able to make a case against Kumar. And as a result, he is cornered in the party, while Yeddyurappa has grown stronger," said the source.

After Yeddyurappa proved majority for his government last month, media reports started pouring in on the land scams linking to his family members. While, JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy took the lead in the attack, Yeddyurappa camp pointed out the nexus between Kumar and JD(S).

"If Yeddyurappa is safe today, it is just because of the media. The reports were so one-sided that we could easily prove the conspiracy of the JD(S) behind it and this helped us to save Yeddyurappa," said K S Eswarappa, state president of the BJP.

While he did not wish to comment on the 'Kumar factor', insiders said the MP received a dressing down from the national leaders.

Yeddyurappa's meeting with the state MPs, in New Delhi, on Monday, was a deliberate move to prove that the majority of them were with him, while only two MPs were with Kumar, revealed sources.

After a series of deliberations, the national leaders of the party met senior RSS leaders yesterday, and assessed the political situation. While the high command was convinced about the sabotage, RSS leaders reportedly favoured the safety of the government.

However, sources who attended the meeting said that the leaders were divided on the issue and the majority were in support of Yeddyurappa and they censured Kumar.

Soon after the meeting, Nitin Gadhkari, BJP national president, said, "We are discussing the issue, and we will arrive at a decision soon."

Yeddyurappa's supporters took out a protest rally against Kumar, and staged a dharna in front of his residence.

"Yeddyurappa has pledged to finish Deve Gowda politically; in fact he was talking about Kumar.u00a0

Now that he seems to have gained an upper hand, I believe Kumar will face a tough time in the future," said a BJP leader.