K'taka CM holds talks with RSS leaders on dissidence

Bangalore, May 31 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today said dissidence which surfaced in the party following denial of ministerial berths to some senior leaders would be defused in a couple of days.

Talking to newspersons after visiting 'Keshava Kripa,' the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) in Karnataka, he said the 'misunderstanding' would be resolved through talks and disgruntled leaders convinced.

The Chief Minister held discussion with RSS leaders following protests by supporters of three BJP leaders who could not be accommodated in the Ministry and hectic lobbying for portfolios of their choice by many ministers who took the oath of office along with him yesterday.

Senior leaders Jagadish Shetter (Hubli-Dharwad Central), Shankaralinge Gowda (Narasimharaja in Mysore City) and A Narayanaswamy (Anekal) had protested denial of ministerial berths.

Mr Yeddyurappa said he would seek the vote of confidence on June six, the last day of the three-day special Assembly session and then announce the portfolios.

This means the 29 ministers who took oath yesterday would remain without portfolios for the next one week.

Talking to UNI here, Mr Shetter said he would stick to his stand of not accepting the post of Speaker and remain a Legislator and serve the party if he was not offered a ministerial berth.

''I am a people's leader and I have spent more than three decades to develop the party base in Karnataka. If I accept the Speaker's post I will have to move away from the people. So I will not accept it,'' he said.

State BJP President B Sadananda Gowda said the decision to appoint Mr Shetter as Speaker was taken by Central leaders. The problem arising out of denial of berths was minor and would be resolved through talks, he said.

The supporters of the three leaders had protested violently in Hubli, Anekal and Mysore following the omission from the Cabinet.

Today members of the Hubli Bar council and Mahila Morcha of the BJP held protest rallies.

A bandh was called in Anekal by Mr Narayanaswamy's followers.

Mr Shankaralinge Gowda protested allegedly using vituperative words against party leaders and left for Mysore in a huff before Mr Yeddyurappa's ministry took the oath.

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