Yediyurappa's announcement about ministership for MLC not taken well by some MLAs
Bengaluru: Resentment seems to be brewing in the ruling BJP in Karnataka against Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's assertion that MLC C P Yogeshwar will be inducted into the cabinet, as MLA M P Renukacharya on Wednesday met the party state president and expressed deep hurt.
Renukacharya and several like-minded legislators are likely to meet ahead of the winter session from December 7 before meeting the CM and leadership in this regard.
Party sources said many of their old guards are reportedly unhappy with the CM's open announcement that "Yogeshwar will be made a minister cent percent".
MLAs have cited Yogeshwar being not directly elected and his induction scuttling chances of many of them as the reason for their opposition, pointing out that MLCs like Laxman Savadi (Deputy CM) and Kota Srinivas Poojary are already in the cabinet, they said.
Renukacharya, who is also the CM's political secretary and one among the MLAs who are opposing Yogeshwar's possible induction, met state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel and held discussions.
He is said to have informed Kateel about resentment among a section of MLAs following this decision, sources said.
"I'm deeply hurt by the Chief Minister's statement. I won't say things in front of the media. I have put forward what I had to say before the state president," Renukacharya said.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Kateel, he said these MLAs are now busy with party organization work in their constituencies in view of the coming gram panchayat polls and he too would be going to his constituency to do the same.
"....once all our legislators come back, we will meet the Chief Minister and discuss. Before the session starts we will once again meet him and the party-state president and also raise matters that we have to at the legislature party meeting and in other party fora," he added.
Even as he waits for the high command's approval for the much-awaited expansion or reshuffle of his cabinet, Yediyurappa on Tuesday said Yogeshwar will be '100 percent made Minister.'
Yogeshwar had lost the 2018 assembly polls from Channapatna against former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S).
He is said to have played a key role by managing Congress-JD(S) rebel MLAs during their stay in Mumbai, which gave rise to political turmoil in the state, eventually led to the collapse of the coalition government headed by Kumaraswamy last year, and paved the way for the BJP to come to power.
It is said that in recognition of his contribution to BJP coming to power, Yogeshar was rewarded with an MLC nomination in July.
Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi had been lobbying for Yogeshwar's induction and the duo had met Yediyurappa, also BJP National President J P Nadda and General Secretary (Organisation) B L Santosh in this regard.
Several BJP MLAs, including Renukacharya, had met Jarkiholi in the past and requested him not to lobby for Yogeshwar.
When reporters mentioned Yogeshwar's name while asking what transpired at the meeting, Renukacharya said, "I have not heard that name... Is he Narendra Modi or Amit Shah or Nadda or Santosh or Yediyurappa or Kateel? Instead of asking about big people, you are asking about someone whom I don't know. Why do you ask me about him repeatedly?."
A Vokkaliga leader from Ramanagara district, Yogeshwar had served as Minister in the previous BJP government.
He also had a stint in Congress.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA and government chief whip in the legislative assembly V Sunil Kumar's letter to Kateel to convene a meeting of legislators to discuss recent developments, including cabinet expansion and appointments to boards and corporations, is seen as a sign of growing resentment within the party, sources said.
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Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India calls current situation 'no war, no peace'
Bengaluru (PTI): Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi on Saturday characterised the ongoing tensions between his country and the Israel-US alliance as a state of “no war, no peace”.
Calling for an immediate halt to the conflict, he said the global stability hinges on those who initiated the war.
He questioned why countries affected by the war and suffering from the energy crisis are not pressuring the US and Israel to stop the aggression.
Addressing a press conference here, Ilahi said Iran did not want the conflict, but was compelled to respond amid continued attacks, even as negotiations were expected to continue.
"Iran didn't want this war, but Iran was forced by the war and several times Iran tried to avoid this war... I don't know what is the condition of these people and these countries (US-Israel)... they want to impose on other countries what they want, and who gave them this authority?" he questioned.
Recalling the negotiations Iran held in Oman, he said talks later moved to Geneva and made progress before being disrupted by sudden attacks.
Ilahi claimed that airstrikes and missile attacks led to the deaths of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ministers, commanders and civilians.
"They killed a lot of civilians… They attacked a primary school, and they killed 175 innocent girls," he said, claiming over 4,000 deaths, more than 40,000 injuries, and widespread damage to houses, hospitals, universities and public infrastructure.
Despite these losses, he said Iran resisted calls for “unconditional surrender” and stood firm and defended itself.
"They wanted unconditional surrender. Which no one—no one can accept it. Iran said, 'Okay, we are ready to be sacrificed,' but we are not ready to submit ourselves," he added.
He argued that they (US-Israel) proposed the current ceasefire only after realising that they could not achieve any of their objectives after 40 days of conflict.
The envoy further claimed that the ceasefire is not an actual ceasefire, but a “no war, no peace” situation.
Explaining the current situation in Iran, he said conditions remain stable and people are going about their daily lives.
"They are working ....(leading) their ordinary life. They are working—they're going farming and they do everything....and they aren't scared of anything. And they are ready to defend themselves," he added.
Addressing the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, he said the situation was stable before February 28 and all countries benefited from it.
"(For) 10,000 years, the Strait of Hormuz was open...and Iran daily yearly spent a lot for providing security in the Strait of Hormuz... so no one even complained anything about the Strait of Hormuz. Everyone was free...and even our enemies their warship was passing through the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
However, he linked the current maritime instability to the actions of the US and Israel.
"So Iran cannot do anything. Those people who initiated, created and started this war, they have to stop it. And everything will go back to normal," he said.
Criticising the mentality of the "great powerful country", Ilahi said, "they think they have the right to do whatever they want. It should change."
He sought to know why the countries affected by the conflict are not exerting pressure on the US and the "Zionist" regime to halt the war.
"Why are they not asking them? This crisis and problem by which a lot of countries are affected was created by them. A lot of factories are closed and even working days in some countries reduced... A lot of restaurants are closed," he said.
Seeking fairness and justice, Ilahi said instead of asking Iran, all those nations should ask those who initiated this war to stop it, by telling them, "we are suffering."
To a query on international mediation, Ilahi, referring to the US, asked, "Is it acceptable and reasonable that one country orders all countries -- you should not deal with this country, You should not purchase from this country. You should not have business with this country. You should not buy from this country."
Ilahi also highlighted Iran's long-standing ties with India and said, "It is a great country and we respect India and Indians."
"We have 5,000 years relationship and friendship. We are connected to India by education, by philosophy, by culture, by civilisation and by the economy," he said.
According to him, the bilateral cooperation remains strong, citing diplomatic engagement.
"At the moment also, our relationship, collaboration, cooperation with India is very good," he said, adding Iran allowing Indian ships to pass through Strait of Hormuz reflects the ties.
"Iran allowed Indian ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Why? A lot of countries couldn't get this permission?... The relationship between Iran and India is very good," he added.
He expressed confidence that in future too, the ties between Iran and India will be strong.
