Bangalore:
Appearing to be in no hurry to quit without a fight, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa held consultations with his loyalist ministers and legislators today.
Yeddyurappa who was told to stop down by the BJP central leadership in Delhi after Lokayukta report on the mining scam, went into a huddle with more than a dozen MLAs and other ministers, including C M Udasi, Murugesh Nirani, Umesh Katti and Basavaraj Bommai.
Health and Family Welfare Minister B Sreeramulu, a confidant of the Reddy brothers, and other ministers G Karunakara and G Janardhana - who have also been indicted in the Lokayukta report - met Yeddyurappa after being called by him.
Sreeramulu joining the consultations assumes significance as the Reddy brothers had always been associated as rivals of Yeddyurappa. In fact the Karnataka Chief Minister had earlier faced a rebellion led by the mining magnates from Bellary. Bommai, as an emissary of Yeddyurappa, was believed to have met the Reddy brothers, amid indications that the Chief Minister has widened his consultations on his options.
Before meeting the Karnataka Chief Minister, Sreeramulu said the decision of the BJP high command was final. "We will abide by the party high command. We are not bigger than high command and we are not bigger than the party. The high command's decision is final. "
The reason for this joining of hands is that along with Yeddyurappa, the Reddy brothers have been strongly indicted in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining by which have plunged the state into a political turmoil.
State unit President K S Eshwarappa, whose name is also doing the rounds to succeed Yeddyurappa, said he is confident that the Chief Minister would abide by the central leadership's decision.
Party sources said the BJP leadership assured Yeddyurappa that he would be reinstated if his name is cleared by the courts.
Yeddyurappa, who completed three years in office in May, said he would go back to the national capital on July 31.
Yeddyurappa's indictment pertained to violations of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Lokayukta has also submitted a copy of his report to Governor H R Bhardwaj recommending to him to initiate "further steps".