BSY leaves it to party leadership on becoming CM

BANGALORE: Laying all rumours to rest on his possible plans to desert the BJP, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa said that his immediate task was to ensure the victory of Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda in the December 22 byelection to the Legislative Council.Addressing newsmen at the Assembly lobby here on Friday, the former CM who had returned from New Delhi where he met several Central party leaders, including party president Nitin Gadkari, described his sojourn as ‘fruitful’.“I was able to convince the party leadership that I was a victim of political conspiracy, Yeddyurappa clarified. On reports that he had bargained with the Central party leaders to get reinstated as the CM, Yeddyurappa admitted that such a sentiment is gaining momentum in party circles.Refusing to react on the demands made by the state MPs to the party leadership for his reinstatement as CM, Yeddyurappa said that the BJP central leadership would take a decision on it.“My only target is to ensure Sadananda Gowda’s victory in the Legislative Council byelection and victory in over 150 seats for the party in the state Assembly, in addition to enabling victory in a minimum of 22 seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections,” the former chief minister said.Surprise, Surprise... Sriramulu OK with BSY back as CMHUBLI: MLA B Sriramulu sprang a surprise by stating that he has no objection if former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa becomes the CM again because he deserves it.“I may have criticised Yeddyurappa in the past but this is common in politics...No one can deny his over three-decade struggle to build the BJP in the state,” he addressed the media at Gadag on Friday.The minister added that since he represents the majority Lingayat community, it would benefit the party. “Yeddyurappa was the main reason the BJP came to power... he had organised the party at the grassroots.Reinstating Yeddyurappa is justifiable,” he explained. He, however, slammed the state government on the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for onion and maize, which he claimed were not sufficient.Meanwhile, Gadag District in-charge Minister C C Patil met Sriramulu at his residence here on Friday, and held discussions with him for about half-an-hour.Patil later clarified that the meet was merely a courtesy call.