Bengaluru: The return of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the city and the beeline that the rebels in the Congress have made for him to vent their anger against the party, has reportedly bolstered the BJP’s hopes of winning some of them over to its side and forming the government in the state.
Although BJP national president, Amit Shah is said to have instructed state party chief, B S Yeddyurappa over the phone last week to stop making an effort to form the government, and informed him that the party would take a call on this only if the present government collapsed on its own, the latter is reportedly still at it.
BJP sources say Mr. Yeddyurappa is continuing to woo disgruntled Congress MLAs to get the numbers he needs to form the government and his confidence has doubled after seeing the reception that Mr Siddaramaiah received from these legislators on his return to Bengaluru from his Europe holiday. He appears to be going it alone as senior BJP leader and former minister, Govinda Karjol too revealed that Mr Shah had directed the party leadership in the state not to meddle with the ongoing turmoil in the Congress.
The saffron party’s national leaders seem to believe that any direct involvement of the BJP in destabilising the Congress- JD(S) government could harm its image with the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan Assembly polls approaching and has advised the state unit to adopt a wait and watch policy. Meanwhile, Mr Yeddyurappa, who has called a party office bearers’ meeting on Tuesday, has summoned all MLAs and MLCs to attend it as well in Bengaluru. He is said to be worried about the alleged attempts of the Congress and the JD(S) to lure them to their side.
