Acid test for cabinet colleagues

Continuing dissidence appears to have driven the Yeddyurappa to test his support base by calling a cabinet meeting of his ministers today

Acid test for cabinet colleagues

Continuing dissidence appears to have driven the Yeddyurappa to test his support base by calling a cabinet meeting of his ministers today

Even with the crisis in the BJP apparently reaching explosive proportions with rebels taking the battle to Delhi, Chief Minister Yeddyurappa, amidst more immediate worries, is allegedly subjecting his cabinet colleagues to an acid test by calling a meeting. The meeting is scheduled for 11 am today, and the trend yesterday indicated that more than half the cabinet ministers would not turn up.

Oh God, Please help! Sources say that if the court issues summons to
the CM, then it will be a real crisis for his supporters. File pic

Meanwhile, a D-day of sorts, looms ahead today for Yeddyurappa, with the Lokayukta court hearing the de-notification scam case against him to decide whether to summon him, or hand the case over to investigative agencies for further probe.

Crucial day
"Today's court case is very crucial considering the current political situation. If the court issues summons to the CM, then it will be a real crisis for us. If the case is dismissed, Yeddyurappa grows stronger," said a leader from the loyalist camp.

Insiders in the BJP said that the CM is keen on testing his support base within the cabinet before taking a significant decision, while dissidence against him grows stronger with each passing day. He is understood to have asked cabinet colleagues to clear their stand on whether they are with him or oppose him.

"In the chaos, many are sitting on the fence, which is only adding to the confusion. Nobody is clear about the strength of the warring camps. So the CM has convened the meeting to gauge the strength of his support base," said the source.

Bad decision?
"I don't know whether the CM is biting the bullet by calling the meeting. If the numbers are not favourable, the problem will only worsen," said a minister loyal to Yeddyurappa. According to sources, K S Eswarappa, state president of the party, who is spearheading the dissidence, is flying to Delhi with a strong case against Yeddyurappa.

Some ministers including Govinda Karajola, A S Ramadas and Jagdish Shettar are expected to accompany him. No one from Reddy camp, including Sriramulu are expected to attend the meeting, neither are they likely to be seen with Eswarappa in Delhi.

Loyalists Basavaraja Bommai, C M Udasi, Murugesh Nirani, Renukacharya and Shobha Karandlaje however, are certain to attend, while S Suresh Kumar and R Ashok, who have taken a neutral stand, are likely to abstain.

'No crisis'
"I am sure all the ministers will be at the meeting and there is no crisis in the party as the media is projecting," said Yeddyurappa. "I don't know about the ministers who are accompanying Eswarappa flying to Delhi."

Seeking to clarify that he was not instigating the ministers against the CM, Eswarappa, said, "I don't know about the meeting called by the CM, but the ministers and MLAs are accompanying me only to air their grievances with the high command. They are not against anyone, including Yeddyurappa."

Similar tests
Yeddyurappa has already failed in two such self-conducted tests. He had called a meeting of BJP legislators following the explosion of dissidence last week, which saw attendance of around 40 MLAs out of 206. He had called a meeting of MPs, a few days ago when he was in Delhi, and only eight of 16 attended.