BENGALURU: Amid the on-and-off talk about leadership change in the state, BJP national general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Arun Singh sought to put all speculation to rest on Thursday when he ruled out any such possibility. He even said Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa is doing excellent work for overall development of the state. “No, there will be no change in leadership,” Arun Singh told TNIE.
This is for the first time the party’s national general secretary in charge of the state has clarified on the issue, sending out a clear message, amid buzz about lack of clarity from the party central leadership.
Earlier too, a number of senior BJP leaders in Karnataka, including state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, had rubbished all such talk, stating that Yediyurappa will complete the full term in office. “Yediyurappaji is a great leader, a mass leader. He is our CM and he is working wonderfully, taking care of every section of society,” said Singh, who is visiting Karnataka to attend the party core committee and state executive committee meetings in Belagavi on Friday and Saturday.
The CM and other senior leaders are also attending the meetings to discuss strategies to further strengthen the party and also review preparations for the Gram Panchayat elections and Assembly bypolls. Singh also sent a strong message to ministerial aspirants who have been making statements and resorting to pressure tactics. “That is not our culture,” he said.
“They should discuss such issues only within the party and refrain from making publ i c s tat ement s, ” he stressed. On the delay in cabinet expansion as the Chief Minister is waiting for the central leaders’ approval, Singh said it is the CM’s prerogative and it will happen soon.