Yeddi hopes to present State budget, Solution to Datta Peetha row on cards

VT, Jan 24, 2006

B D Narayankar chats with DCM Yediyurappa

Bangalore: ’’History says it all. They are the most dangerous and shameless party members in the country . They are adept at horse trading and breaking other political parties and they belong to the Congress,’’ said Opposition party leader in the Assembly and senior BJP leader B S Y ediyurappa. In a tete-e-tete with Vijay T imes, Y ediyurappa reveals his thoughts on the possibilities of forming a government with JDS. Excerpts: Congress is making all-out efforts to restrain BJP and JDS to form an alternative government in the State. Y our comments. It is ’Lajjeketta da N aduvalike’ (a shameless act) on the part of the Congress and it has been in its blood. F or sake of power it is ready to go to any extent. In fact, the people had rejected the party in the last assembly election, but to gain po wer the party cleverly manipulated JDS to keep our party at bay . F ormer Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and I gel well together . Don’t you feel that the current political drama enacted by Gowda was to finish off BJP in the State? In fact, he is disappointed with the Congress for backstabbing his party . Gowda is deeply hurt by its malicious plans to break the JDS by wooing rebel leader Siddaramaiah to its side. It is easy to prove this point when a Congress leader himself has openly admitted of doing it. Congress is the most dangerous party and had least respect for coalition politics. Gowda has realised this and will not rejoin hands with Congress to save the present government. T o what extent do you trust H D K umaraswamy? I trust him 101 per cent. W e are sure to form a government with JDS. At any cost he will not betray his 45 MLAs. He is upset by Congress for ditching his father (Gowda) thrice after forming a coalition go vernment. The talks of Gowda convincing K umaraswamy to fall in his line of thought has flopped. Gowda himself has patched up with K umaraswamy and extended his support to him. In such a scenario, should Chief Minister N Dharam Singh resign? He should make a graceful exit. H e should have quit the post when more than 120 legislators belonging to both JDS and BJP were paraded before Governor T N Chaturvedi. Dharam Singh government’s fall is imminent. H o w stable will be the new set up with so many difference in your party and without much experience on both sides? W e are inexperienced in matters of administration, but we are going to draft a common minimum programme, keeping it as a base we will work towards Karnataka’s progress and give good administration. Interestingly we are adept in running coalition government. Our leader Atal Behari V ajpayee has done it successfully during NDA rule at the Centre. W e want to continue this legacy in Karnataka. The party is serious on addressing the problems of terrorism and naxalism. Do you think the much-hyped Gowda-Sonia meeting will happen? Even if Gowda met AICC president Sonia Gandhi, the outcome of it will not change Kumaraswamy’s decision to form government with BJP On the flipside, Gowda will complain about Congressmen who tried to break his party . He also has made it clear that he will meet Sonia only if she invites him for talks. Kodaikanal: Even as the BJP legislators are havi and frolick here at the hill country K od serious business for the core group of leaders who in constant touch with senior leader B S Y and rebel JDS supremo H D K umaraswamy . If all g according to plan Y ediyurappa is set to re dream of presenting the State budget. Speaking to Vijay T imes, a group of BJP l said, the Deputy Chief Minister in-waiting. Y ediyurappa will get Finance portfolio and powerful Home Ministry will be with JDS. Though the Speaker’s post is likely to go still there are chances of BJP clinching it. In t event Araga Jnanendra is the front-runner to the honour . BJP which would get 18 berths in the 34 member ministry would have at least 8 cabinet rank minist Along with B S Y ediyurappa, the names of Eshwarappa, J agadish Shettar , Go vind Karjol, R Katta Subramanya Naidu, C M U dasi, Shakunta Shetty (women’s quota), Shankarlinge Go wda, P attnashetty and S Shivanna are almost cert make it. H o wever , it is the share of Legislative Counci causing some problems in po wer sharing for BJP as H Shankaramurthy , Ramachandre Go wda, V S Achary and Aravinda Limbavali are competing for 2 allotted. The party is mulling to keep the names of Shankaramurthy and Ramachandre Go wda, as the duo has just 5 more months of their term. The ministerial aspirants are already busy g coached on the nuances of administration from U da and G Basavennappa for two hours every afternoon.. Datta Peetha row will be solved Interaction with the MLAs also veered to war P eetha ro w and the chances of it spoiling the pa JDS. But emphatic ’no’ came the reply fro MLA C T Ravi. "The leaders have already identified it and on to see that it does not harm the coali ment. W e will initiate talks with Hindu community leaders and workout an amicable solution It can be solved if political leadership is policy of appeasement," he said. VTN I I t tr ru us st t K Ku um ma ar ra as sw wa am my y 1 10 01 1 p pe er r c ce en nt t INTERVIEWWe are inexperienced in matters of administration, but we are going to draft a common minimum programme, keeping it as a base we will work towards Karnataka’s progress and give good administration. Interestingly we are adept in running coalition government. Our leader V ajpayee has done it successfully during NDA rule at the Centre. We want to continue this legacy