29 July,2011 07:19 AM IST | | B V Shiva Shankar
Has sought to tender his resignation after three days as advised by astrologers; they say the planets will realign by then and good times will favour the CM thereafteru00a0
The staunch belief in planetary movement and crystal gazers still has Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa believing that the crisis will pass and normalcy will return. He has sought three more days to tender his resignation, as he believes the planetary positions will change and his predicament will improve.
Star power: Yeddyurappa has sought time till August 1, citing
Ashaada,u00a0 the month which Hindus consider inauspicious.
File pic
While the BJP high command is mounting pressure on him to step down after he was implicated in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining, the CM has sought time till August 1, citing Ashaada -- the month, which Hindus consider inauspicious.
However, the fact remains that his astrologers have advised him to hang on till August 30, when the positions of the planet positions change thereby stabilising his position. "The astrologers have said these three days are critical for the CM and they have advised him not to step down. Once this period passes, the path will be clear," said a source close to Yeddyurappa.
Disastrous
The astrologers are believed to have said that attempts to either assume office or demit in the month of Ashdaada will result in Yeddyurappa losing power permanently. It can be recalled that Yeddyurappa jokingly told his followers that he would be changed man from August 29 onwards -- a day before Lokayukta submitted the report on Wednesday.
"My stars are going to be changed from August 29 and the people with me will enjoy power forever," he had said and added that anyone wanting to enjoy power could continue with him and rest could leave.
Speedy exit
Speaking about the political aspect of the development, Yeddyurappa is into the time-buying tactic while the party high command is particular about his ouster. The parliament board of the party, which met yesterday morning in Delhi, decided to seek his resignation. Prior to the meeting when party high command conveyed the requirement, Yeddyurappa turned it down and rushed back to Bangalore to attend a cabinet meeting he had called.
That was however cancelled with the high command asking the legislators not to attend. Soon after arriving in the city, Yeddyurappa went into a huddle with his supporters at his residence. Meanwhile, the high command made known the decision taken by the parliamentary board hinting that former state BJP leader Sadananda Gowda was a candidate for the CM post.
They insisted that Yeddyurappa attend a legislators' party meeting tomorrow and announce his successor. However, Yeddyurappa has apparently refused to budge.
Game of wits
While he was not ready to give in, Yeddyurappa proposed a formula according to which he would be the state party president and the new CM would be his man. The high command rejected the offer and the stalemate continued.
However, later in the evening he agreed to attend the meeting, but would not tender resignation for now.
"Majority of the MLAs are with Yeddyurappa and they are of the opinion that he should not be make a scapegoat for the political games being played within and outside of the party.
We are going to attend the meeting to express solidarity to the CM and he will also be present," said Industry Minister Murugesh Nirani. Former national president of the party Rajnath Singh and opposition leader in the Rajyasabha Arun Jaitley, who are expected to arrive in the city today, will attend the meeting. Dharmendra Pradhan, in-charge of party affairs in the state, will also be present.
Shobha aloof?
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa was in for a rude shock yesterday morning when close friend Shobha Karandlaje categorically refused to join him if he floats a new party after splitting the BJP. In the fit of anger after his return from Delhi, Yeddyurappa had said he would quit the BJP in case he is forced to resign.
He was taken aback to see Shobha among the legislators, who did not buy the idea. She is believed to have said she was loyal to the BJP and she would never desert the party. However, she also advised Yeddyurappa not take a wrong step, which he accepted and calmed down.
Scapegoat and beneficiaries
Yeddyurappa is reportedly upset over the party high command asking him to step down owing to corruption charges framed, when many in the party are beneficiaries of his deeds. "They are trying to single me out on corruption charges, but many of them are the beneficiaries of the same.
The party could grow thanks to the funds mobilised. If you call this corruption, then no one is eligible to be the CM in the party," he understood to have said in the meeting. While H N Ananthkumar, MP from Bangalore (South), K S Eswarappa, state president of the BJP and Jagadish Shetter, minister for rural development and panchayat raj are the front runners for the CM post, Yeddyurappa is understood to have shown documents linking them in various scams.
Party Heading to towards split?
Refusing to give in, Yeddyurappa has reportedly threatened the party high command of dividing the party if he is forced to resign. Getting wind of this, the high command is even understood to be toying with the idea of going with the JD(S) to form a coalition government, while Yeddyurappa camp is also looking into the option.
However, the numbers would be a problem for both sides, as the BJP enjoys only a thin majority in the assembly. In such case, going for elections would be inevitable, as a source put it.
