Don't know what's in the mind of Modi, Shah on BJP's alliance with JD(S) for LS polls: Yediyurappa
Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Thursday said he doesn't know as to what is in the minds of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the saffron party having an understanding with JD(S) for 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The former CM, who was in New Delhi on Wednesday to take part in the meeting of the BJP's central election committee, of which he is the member, made it clear that no discussion took place regarding the alliance, during the visit.
"Amid election and other issues, other subjects (BJP-JD(S) poll understanding) did not come up for discussion. After the meeting I have come back. Neither did they (BJP national leadership), nor did I raise any other subjects," Yediyurappa said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters here, he said he doesn't know what was in the minds of Modi and Amit Shah regarding the poll alliance.
Asked whether there were any reservations from the state BJP about the alliance with JD(S), Yediyurappa, who is also the member of the BJP's all important parliamentary board, said, "what Delhi leadership says is more important. This issue did not come up for discussion yesterday during my Delhi visit."
Certainly, whatever decision is taken by high command in Delhi will be after due consultation with the state leadership, he said. But, so far no such discussions have taken place with regard to poll understanding and other issues.
To a query on his personal opinion regarding the alliance, he said, "... we will all abide by whatever decision the party takes."
Yediyurappa, who is also a BJP parliamentary board member, had last week said that his party will have an understanding with JD(S) for the Lok Sabha elections. The regional party will contest in four LS seats in Karnataka, which has a total of 28 constituencies.
However, he subsequently said that discussions in this regard have not reached finality yet, and that Modi and Shah, who are busy with other responsibilities, may discuss and decide on the issue in a couple of days and decide.
On his part, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said discussions on BJP and his party contesting the Lok Sabha polls together are still in the initial phase.
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BCCI likely to remove assistant coach Abhishek Nayar; support staff set for overhaul
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New Delhi (PTI): Just eight months into the biggest assignment of his career, it could be curtains for Mumbai stalwart Abhishek Nayar as the Indian cricket team's assistant coach amid speculation that he has fallen out with a high-profile member of the support staff.
If board sources are to be believed, Nayar has already been intimated of the BCCI's decision to part ways with him.
Fielding coach T Dilip, and Strength and Conditioning coach Soham Desai are also on their way out after completing more than three years in their respective positions.
The new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the BCCI has capped the support staff's tenure at three years.
It is learnt that India's first ever Strength and Conditioning coach Adrian Le Roux is likely to return for a second stint. The South African is widely credited for ushering in a new fitness culture in the then Sourav Ganguly-led Indian team during the 2003 World Cup.
When BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia was contacted by the PTI, he neither confirmed nor denied the development.
"Certain things are being finalised. You will receive a press note from BCCI in some days," Saikia said asked about the swirling speculation.
The 41-year-old Nayar, a former all-rounder who played three ODIs but was largely a domestic stalwart with 103 first-class games, didn't respond to a text message sent by PTI.
His presence deemed "counter-productive"
It is learnt that Nayar's removal was on cards after Sitanshu Kotak was added to the Indian team's support staff as an additional batting coach.
"...just after the tour of Australia, there was a review meeting conducted by the BCCI. The top officials of the board, including secretary Devajit Saikia and vice-president Rajeev Shukla, were present along with important members associated with the Indian team, and the national selectors," a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
"On the sidelines of the meeting, a powerful member of the support staff expressed his apprehensions about Nayar's presence and said how him being in the dressing room is proving to be counter-productive.
"While the BCCI didn't act immediately but they brought in Kotak, the former Saurashtra run-accumulator. It was a way of side-lining Nayar during the Champions Trophy," the source added.
It is understood that Nayar was never the first-choice assistant for head coach Gautam Gambhir when the appointments were finalised. The 41-year-old Nayar was appointed as he was seen as someone who could act as a bridge between Gambhir and skipper Rohit Sharma.
Nayar and Dilip have been the Indian skipper's "most trusted lieutenants" and it is not known whether Rohit was kept in the loop by the BCCI mandarins about these decisions.
