Case pending with HC may put spanner in the works, however, by forcing election commission to push back December election dates

Cornered CM plays panchayat poll card

Case pending with HC may put spanner in the works, however, by forcing election commission to push back December election dates

Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa has decided on a two-pronged strategy in a last-ditch effort to save his chair, say sources in the BJP.

Unfazed: CM BS Yeddyurappa steps down from the dias after addressing
a gathering at a function for allotment of sites at Suryanagar near Anekkal.
Pic/Satish Badiger

On the one hand, Yeddyurappa is banking on the Zilla and Taluk Panchayat polls, scheduled tentatively for December, to take the limelight off him and onto the electoral process. On the other, it has been learnt, he has sent a threat to the BJP high command, indicating that MLAs from his camp would walk out should he be displaced from his chair -- a move that would effectively topple the government.

What could put a spanner in the works of his first plan, however, is a case pending before the Karnataka High Court. A civic group led by senior lawyeru00a0Ravivarma Kumar had moved the court against the October 4 government ordinance limiting the reservation of seats for backward classes to 50 percent.

While the High Court quashed the petition on Friday stating that the ordinance was in line with a Supreme Court ruling on the issue, it asked the Election Commission (EC) to undertake a fresh enlistment of the most backward classes by December 10.

The EC, however, filed an appeal stating that the enlistment process would be time consuming and would result in the election dates being pushed back considerably. The High Court is expected to deliver its verdict on this tomorrow and the CM's fate could hinge on it.

"The CM wants to announce the elections on Monday, but we have to wait for the court verdict on the reservations. If the court allows the polls to go ahead as planned, the Election Commission will notify the elections immediately and Yeddyurappa will survive," said a source close to Yeddyurappa.

The logic behind this, said the source, is to make the high command realise that the party can win polls under Yeddyurappa's leadership and also to divert media attention from the land scams allegedly involving him and his family to the elections.

Second approach
Yeddyurappa has also, meanwhile, begun presenting a bold face to the party, threatening the toppling of the government should he be displaced.

While the high command favoured a change of leadership, Yeddyurappa did not budge. He cancelled his Delhi trip yesterday despite the high command summoning him to the national capital.

"I will not go to Delhi as it isu00a0 not called for now. There is no question of change of leadership and we must concentrate on panchayat polls.

I have conveyed this to the high command and I hope they will understand," said Yeddyurappa.

CM's diary
5.30 am: Wakes up
6 am: Goes through all the morning newspapers.
6.15 am: Leaves for a morning walk near Vidhana Soudha.
7-8.30 am: Meets party members and close associates at his residence.
10.30 am: Leaves for RT Nagar to allot Suryanagar sites. Speaks to the media and claims that he'll complete his term as chief minister.
12.30 pm: Returns home and holds a meeting with senior cabinet colleagues
R Ashok, Basavaraj Bommai and Suresh Kumar. After the meeting, he speaks to the media and discloses that he'll leave for Delhi in the evening to discuss the issue with national leaders.
3 pm: Has lunch and discusses the political developments with family members.
3.30 pm: Leaves for the airport to catch a flight for New Delhi. However, changes his plans and goes to an anonymous resort where cabinet colleagues, along with Shobha Karandlaje, are waiting for him

Party softens stand

>>Yeddyurappa's hardline approach seems to have delivered results with the high command softening its stand against him. He is expected to leave for Delhi today to discuss the issue.
>>Meanwhile, party president Nitin Gadkari held discussions with local leaders including D B Chandre Gowda, Sadananda Gowda, Basavaraja Boammai, and R Ashok.
>>Some of them are understood to have advised him not to displace Yeddyurappa considering the fluidity of the situation and the fact that the panchayat polls are around the corner.

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