BENGALURU: There has been an intense political activity in the state since Saturday with prominent leaders rushing off to Delhi and some top ministers holding a hush-hush meeting.Minor Irrigation Minister CP Yogeshwara who visits New Delhi regularly to meet the party central leadership was on Monday night accompanied by party MLA Arvind Bellad, who is considered an upcoming leader.
Though Yogeshwara and Bellad, who represents the Hubli-Dharwad South constituency, could not meet any of the top leaders, they spoke to Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh over phone, party sources told The New Indian Express.It is discussed within party circles that Bellad, a LIngayat leader, is one of the top names doing the rounds for the chief minister’s post if there is a vacancy at the top.
It was said that Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh Nirani too was expected to head to Delhi, but the visit was cancelled at the last minute. The sudden intense activity, coming ahead of the cabinet meeting on Thursday, has raised many eyebrows within BJP circles.What set off the buzz was the meeting in Hubballi on Saturday. Union minister Pralhad Joshi, who too is said to be in the race for the CM’s post, met ministers Dr K Sudhakar, Byrathi Basavraj and former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, who were instrumental in bringing BJP to power.
Sudhakar, who was visiting Tumakuru, later headed to Chitradurga, where he was joined by Byrathi Basavraj. The duo then went to Shiggaon, Haveri to meet Home Minister Basavraj Bommai and PWD Minister CM Udasi. The four met over dinner. But more interesting was the breakfast meeting the next morning in Hubballi where Pralhad Joshi joined them.