BJP high command summons Yediyurappa to Delhi amid delay in electing LoP, K'taka party chief
Bengaluru (PTI): Senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Sunday left for New Delhi after being summoned by the party's top leadership amidst a delay in electing the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
Though the BJP stalwart, who is the BJP parliamentary board member, expressed ignorance over the reason for the call, party sources said he has been summoned to decide on the candidates for the posts of leader of the opposition as well as the party's state chief.
"BJP National president J P Nadda has summoned me to New Delhi. I don't know what the subject is," Yediyurappa told reporters here.
He said, "I will go there, talk to him and if possible, I will return by tonight because a massive protest by thousands has been planned for day-after-tomorrow. So I will try to return by tonight or tomorrow morning."
Asked whether he has been called to New Delhi to discuss the appointment of LoP, Yediyurappa said he was not aware.
"... After talking to him, I will get to know what is running in his mind. I don't have any clue why he has summoned me," the former CM said.
To a query about the lobbying in the party for the two top posts, Yediyurappa said only the national leaders would take a call on such matters.
"Many people demand many things... Our national leaders will decide. Since he (Nadda) has called me, I will go there and talk to him," he added.
Regarding the BJP's agitation on Tuesday, Yediyurappa said a massive protest will be organised against the ruling Congress for its "failure" to fulfill its election promises.
"It has been decided to protest the failure of the state government. Thousands of people will participate. I will also take part in it," he added.
With just one day left for the budget session of the assembly to start, the BJP is yet to finalise its leader of opposition.
There is a stiff contest in the saffron party in the state for these two prime posts. There are many frontrunners for the role of opposition leader, sources in the BJP said.
Among them are former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former ministers Araga Jnanendra, R Ashoka and Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal.
Recently, former Minister V Somanna had expressed his desire to become the BJP state president.
The incumbent Nalin Kumar Kateel said although his term got over a year ago he was continuing in the post due to the assembly elections.
Now, the decision on his replacement would be made by the party high command, he said.
According to party sources, the BJP legislative party meeting to elect their leader, which was scheduled for today has been cancelled.
"Today there is no meeting of the BJP legislative party. We expect that the leader of opposition will be decided by tomorrow (Monday) afternoon," a senior BJP leader told PTI.
Meanwhile, the Congress mocked the BJP's indecisiveness to finalise the leader of opposition.
In a tweet on Saturday, the party posted a picture of a chair with a caption which read, "Advertisement -- Urgently needed. A suitable person for the vacant post of leader of opposition of Karnataka assembly is required."
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Rally against "vote chori" to protect every citizen's right, says D K Shivakumar
New Delhi/ Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar asserted that the Congress party's rally against alleged 'vote chori' (vote theft) in New Delhi is to protect every citizen's right to vote.
Accusing BJP government at the Centre of restricting vehicles with Congress workers from entering Delhi to participate in the party's mega rally, Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress chief, said that about 3,500-4,000 party leaders and workers have come from the state to participate in the rally.
Congress is holding a mega rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on Sunday, against the alleged "vote chori" (vote theft).
"We (state Congress) have made accommodation for 1,500 people (party workers and leaders), more than 2,000 people have made their own arrangements. They have come by flight and train. About 3,500-4,000 people have come. About 1.42 crore signatures have been gathered from the state (as part of its signature campaign)," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, he said, there is a lot of enthusiasm among party workers and leaders, and they are committed to saving the Congress party in the state and the country, and protecting the citizens' right to vote.
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"As per the information that I have received this morning, the BJP and the central government are stopping vehicles (with Congress workers) from coming to Delhi, they are apparently not allowing vehicles to enter the city. I don't know why they are doing this. I don't know why the BJP and the central government are so worried. But no one can stop our voice," he added.
Further stating that Congress is fighting on behalf of the people of the country to protect their right to vote, the Deputy CM said, there is no politics in it. He said, all the leaders will be leaving for the protest venue from the Congress office in Delhi.
Reacting to a question on Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly terming Congress party's rally as an "act of frustration" due to electoral losses, and similar criticism from other BJP leaders, he said, he doesn't want to react to anyone from the saffron party.
"Let them say anything for their enjoyment. We, the Congressmen, won't think about electoral victories and losses. We think about the sacrifice made by our elders during the freedom struggle, to give democracy and a constitution to the country. Sonia Gandhi sacrificed power (PM post) and gave it to an economist like Manmohan Singh. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for this country," he said.
Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi went to jail for the sake of this country, he further pointed out, adding that, "A hundred years ago, Gandhi took over the leadership of the freedom struggle; today in these difficult times, Mallikarjun Kharge has taken the responsibility as the Congress President."
Shivakumar, responding to a question, said, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will also be attending the rally. "Both of us will go together (to the venue) from the Indira Gandhi Bhavan (in Delhi)."
He, however, did not wish to comment on any meeting with the Congress high command, including Soina Gandhi, on the issue of leadership change in Karnataka. Meanwhile, slogans calling Shivakumar the "next CM" were raised by his supporters as the Deputy CM left the Karnataka Bhavan.
