Yediyurappa leaves for New Delhi, to meet PM and top BJP leadership
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka BJP strongman B S Yediyurappa left for New Delhi on Friday, and will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party's central leadership during the visit.
This is the first visit of the former Chief Minister after his recent induction into the BJP's Parliamentary Board and Central Election Committee.
He is also likely to meet the top RSS leadership during the visit.
"I'm going to Delhi, I will be there today and tomorrow. Today evening I will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I will meet Amit Shah (Union Home Minister) and J P Nadda (BJP national President), Rajnath Singh (Union Defence Minister) and other leaders today and tomorrow, and will return tomorrow evening," Yediyurappa said.
Speaking to reporters here before leaving for New Delhi, he said, "It is my duty to seek their suggestions and guidance on how to function in the new responsibility given to me, so I'm going. If I get an opportunity I will also meet Dattatreya Hosabale, the Sarkaryawah (General Secretary) of RSS."
According to party sources, recent political developments in the state, preparations for the 2023 Assembly polls, and organisational matters are likely to come up for discussion during the meet.
The 79-year old leader was on August 17 appointed to the highest decision-making body of the BJP.
The move ahead of the Assembly polls in the state next year, was seen as an attempt by the BJP leadership to send out a message that it still has high regard for the veteran leader and was keen to utilise his experience and mentorship, amid allegations by some sections, especially opposition Congress about the Lingayat strongman being sidelined.
According to Yediyurappa, following his appointment, the PM asked him to concentrate on strengthening the BJP in other South Indian states, along with Karnataka.
The veteran leader had resigned as CM on July 26, 2021. Age was seen as a primary factor for his exit from the top job, with an unwritten rule in the BJP of keeping out those above 75 years from elected offices; also the high command wanted to make way for fresh leadership ahead of the Assembly polls.
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No need for guv: DMK leader Kanimozhi
Chennai (PTI): Senior DMK leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Friday reiterated her party’s opposition to the office of the governor amid uncertainty over government formation in Tamil Nadu after a fractured election mandate.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Kanimozhi emphasised that the DMK’s demand for the abolition of the governor’s post remained unchanged, especially as questions arise over constitutional propriety during the current political transition.
"Our position that we do not need a governor at all is something the DMK has never changed at any point in time," she said.
When asked about the governor’s actions following the election results—particularly the delay in inviting the leading party to form the government—Kanimozhi pointed to what she described as the "inherent friction" between the office of the governor and the political interests of the state.
She said the current situation "raises a lot of questions" and requires introspection regarding constitutional procedures.
Kanimozhi described the election results as lacking a "clear mandate", which she identified as the primary reason for the prevailing political uncertainty in the state.
"What the people decide is supreme," she said, adding that while the mandate was not decisive, it must be respected.
The Thoothukudi MP attributed the ongoing delays and "many confusions" to the absence of a decisive majority for any single party.
She firmly dismissed rumours about the DMK potentially supporting the AIADMK from outside to help stabilise the government.
She described such reports as mere "speculation" and "rumours".
"We can’t be responding to every rumour," she said, declining to comment on the AIADMK’s claims regarding its numbers to form the government.
The political situation in Tamil Nadu remains fluid as stakeholders await the governor’s next constitutional step in an Assembly where no party has secured a clear majority.
The DMK and AIADMK—both of which suffered significant losses to the TVK—are reportedly exploring tactical manoeuvres to navigate the hung Assembly.
The TVK, with 108 seats and the support of Congress’s five MLAs, is still short of the majority mark. The DMK and AIADMK secured 59 and 47 seats, respectively.
