BJP Ministers support Yediyurappa's leadership

Bangalore, June 20 (UNI) Bharatiya Janata Party Ministers in Karnataka today supported the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, in the presence of party Senior Vice-President and State observer Yashwant Sinha, at a meeting here this evening.

Speaking to newspersons at the party office here, after Mr Sinha's two-hour-long interaction with the Ministers, State party chief D V Sadananda Gowda said the meeting went well and everyone present unequivocally supported the leadership of Mr Yediyurappa. ''Even Mr Sinha declared that Mr Yediyurappa is the party leader in the State,'' he added.

He said Mr Sinha also discussed the relationship between the leaders of the coalition partners -- BJP and Janata Dal (Secular), and was happy that the coalition set up had given good governance in the last 16 months.

Mr Sinha was hopeful that the transition of power to the BJP from the JD(S) at the end of the 20th month, as decided earlier, would be smooth.

He exhorted the Ministers to concentrate more on ensuring effective implementation of various programmes as announced in the State budget.

Replying to queries, Mr Gowda denied discussing about the recent dinner meeting attended by a few Ministers against the leadership of Mr Yediyurappa saying there was no such meeting and it was only a speculation in a section of the media.

Emerging from the meeting, Higher Education Minister D H Shankaramurthy said there would not be any problem with regard to change of guard in October. ''It was an arrangement between Mr Yediyurappa and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy prior to the formation of the Government. We are confident that he (Mr Kumaraswamy) will keep up his words,'' he added.

Mr Sinha later interacted with the chairmen of various boards and corporations. He was scheduled to meet party district Presidents, office bearers and address the party's legislature wing tomorrow.

This was Mr Sinha's first visit to Karnataka, after taking over as in-charge of party affairs in the State recently. His visit assumed significance against the backdrop of a demand within the party for action against a few leaders who had spoken against the leadership of Mr Yediyurappa recently.

UNI