CM at Kerala temple; confident of trust vote

The Hindu

Kannur, 07 October 2010: Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has exuded the confidence that his government will tide over the crisis it is facing following the rebellion of a group of dissident ministers and MLAs.

 

 

Talking to reporters outside the Sree Raja Rajeswara Temple at Taliparamba where he visited on Thursday morning, Mr. Yeddyurappa said he was confident that the rebels including a section of MLAs from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would come back to his fold. He hoped that the dissident MLAs would support him when he is seeking trust vote in the Assembly.

 

The embattled Chief Minister reached here by helicopter from Mangalore. After landing at the helipad of the Defence Security Corps Centre here at 9-45 a.m., he went to the Government Guest House and from there to the temple by road. On the way, he also offered pooja at the Mahaganapathi Temple at Puthiyatheru.

 

The Chief Minister was accompanied by his two Cabinet colleagues, Medical Education Minister Ramachandra Gowda and Information Technology Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu. The Chief Minister’s son Raghavendra also accompanied him. District BJP leaders K. Ranjitha and U.P. Jayathan also joined the Chief Minister during his visit to the temples.

 

The Chief Minister’s visit assumes special significance as it coincided with the deep crisis being faced by the BJP-led government after the dissidents raised their banner of revolt. This was his fourth visit to the Sree Rajarajeswara Temple.

 

Earlier during his visit to the temple on November 5, 2008, he had offered an elephant.

 

PTI adds

In another development, the BJP high command has deputed senior leader Venkaiah Naidu to defuse the crisis and save the tottering first-ever BJP government in the South.

 

The BJP government in the State has been rocked by the action of 19 MLAs —14 from the BJP and five Independents — who revolted against Mr. Yeddyurappa’s leadership dissatisfied with the recent Cabinet expansion and gave a letter to the Governor withdrawing support to him.

 

After the revolt, Mr. Yeddyurappa had met Mr. Bharadwaj and told him he was ready to face the trial of strength on October 11, one day ahead of the deadline set by the Governor for the 29-month-old government.