BENGALURU: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who had called for a rare ‘special cabinet meeting’ at 6pm Tuesday, suddenly cancelled it, leading to intense speculation in party circles. The meeting was cancelled as suddenly as it was announced, quite contrary to organised cabinet meetings, where the agenda is circulated to members. The CMO called the DyCMs and ministers and informed them that the special meeting was cancelled.
Another meeting, though, did take place on Monday afternoon. The BJP is abuzz with talk of a group of 10 senior legislators, who were left out of the cabinet expansion, meeting for lunch in the chamber of Chief Whip Sunil Kumar. They included Siddu Savadi, Thippa Reddy, Arvind Bellad, Satish Reddy, Kalakappa Bandi, Ravindranath, Abhay Patil and others. Asked about it, Sunil Kumar confirmed the luncheon, and said, “We meet regularly. Is it wrong to gather for lunch?’’ Sources said the CM had called up Sunil Kumar after he realised that a lunch had been organised. Kumar had recently written to Arun Singh about certain complaints within the party.
Another incident doing the party rounds is of the CM, who was watching the budget in his chamber in Vidhana Soudha, hastily walking out without informing his staff or security detail. When they realised the CM had left, security staff ran down, hoping to catch up with Yediyurappa, who had reached the exit gate near the Kengal Hanumanthaiah statue and was waiting patiently for his official car. Soudha staff said that both security and his vehicle are always ready when the chief minister steps out.
BSY’s dinner diplomacy quells some dissent
CM B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday played host to more than 100 party legislators. The dinner party comes at a time legislators had been publicly, and behind closed doors, expressing dissent over various issues. Around 25 legislators gave the party a miss. MLAs like Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who have taken on the CM in public, and Sunil Kumar, Arvind Bellad and SA Ramadas, who have made their displeasure explicit at party platforms, stayed away. “I have nothing against the CM or the party. I have expressed my displeasure over certain issues and the party will take care of it.” said MP Renukacharya. Even MLC H Vishwanath, who has minced no words in attacking the CM, was present, while JC Madhuswamy preferred to keep away.