More sympathy flows in if CM slaps 100 cases against BS Yeddyurappa: CT Ravi
Shivmogga: A slew of FIRs registered against former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa for his alleged involvement in denotification of land would only boomerang against the state government as the Lingayat strongman would earn more sympathy, general secretary of the state unit of BJP C T Ravi said on Wednesday.
He told the media here: “If Chief Minister Siddaramaiah slaps hundred cases against Mr. Yeddyurappa it will prove counterproductive, and the sympathy earned by the leader could shake the roots of the state government.” The Chief Minister would not be able to wear down the popularity of the Lingayat strongman in Karnataka by slapping cases against him. Instead, his popularity would swell as people have started comparing the style of functioning of the state government with the one headed by Mr Yeddyurappa between 2008 and 2011, he added and warned Mr. Siddaramaiah that any more trouble for the former chief minister would spell trouble for the state government.
The Lokayukta has registered 12 FIRs against Mr Yeddyurappa after officers of CID submitted a report based on findings by the CAG. The increasing number of FIRs set the stage of an interesting meeting between Mr Yeddyurappa and state JD (S) president H. D. Kumaraswamy at the Circuit House in Hubballi on Tuesday. Mr. Ravi, however, said it was just a courtesy call as both leaders stayed at the same place, nothing “special” occurred at the meeting.
He ruled out the possibility of a tie-up between BJP-JD(S) again as the party had bad experience during the coalition government headed by Mr. Kumaraswamy. Mr. Ravi said the demand for scrapping the Legislative Council should be discussed thoroughly before taking a final decision.
George: there’s no conspiracy
Ruling out any conspiracy against former chief minister, B. S. Yeddyurappa or any other leader in the state, home minister K.J. George said: “How can the state government be responsible if the Lokayukta police files a FIR against Mr Yeddyurappa? The case dates back to 2013. No one is conspiring against him, the united opposition is trying to misguide people around the state.”
He added that the opposition parties are launching vicious campaign against the state government unnecessarily. “An activist lawyer, Jayakumar Hiremath had filed a case in the high court on April 10, 2013 against Mr Yeddyurappa keeping the CAG report as the basis of his complaint. Hearing his petition, the high court directed him to approach the Lokayukta. He then filed a case with the Lokayukta on November 13, 2013. Subsequently, the Lokayukta ordered a CID probe into the complaint and now that, the CID has submitted its report, the Lokayukta has filed the FIR. In the entire process, the state government has no role to play,” he contended.
According to him, all three leaders of the Opposition, Jagadish Shettar, JD(S) leader, H. D. Kuamrswamy and former chief minister, B. S. Yeddyurappa have ill motives behind launching a vicious campaign against the state government.
