Karnataka BJP BS Yeddyurappa’s deadline to BJP ends today

With Karnataka BJP strongman BS Yeddyurappa remaining defiant after being rebuffed by BJP chief Nitin Gadkari in his bid to regain chief ministership, all eyes are on the former chief minister's birthday bash Monday as he is expected to take a "drastic" decision whether to continue in the party or not.

Yeddyurappa turns 69 today and has extended invitation to all his supporting legislators to attend a lunch hosted by him at his residence. He also has hosted a dinner party to mediapersons where he is expected to divulge his next political step.

Yeddyurappa will be visiting Siddaganga Mutt pontiff Shivakumar Swamy in Tumkur in the morning and offer worship at a nearby temple.

After attending a function orgainsed by Backward Class Forum near Railway Station, Yeddyurappa would head to his residence to hold a meeting with his supporters including legislators and MPs, sources close to him said.

Some BJP leaders are expecting Yeddyurappa to bid adieu to the BJP which he had built in the state over the years. Yet another section expects Yeddyurappa to wait for the outcome of March 3 core Committee meeting convened by BJP President Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi. The former Chief Minister has already said he and his followers would not attend the meeting.

Instead of attending the Delhi meeting, Yeddyurappa had said he would discuss the issues with his supporters on February 27 and thereafter convey the decision to the central leadership.  

BJP sources told that Yeddyurappa has to await acquittal in various cases against him before he can be considered for chief ministership or state party presidentship.

Sonia Gandhi: Anna should accept ‘our strong Lokpal’

Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday told party MPs that Congress was ready to fight for lokpal and women's bill, reports said. The opposition and Team Anna should accept the government's draft bill, she added.

Congress has fulfilled its poll promises on food security and Lokpal, Sonia Gandhi said.

BJP is yet to reconcile to fact that UPA has got people's confidence and is spreading canards about differences between Congress and government, she said.

Gandhi interacted with party MPs on Wednesday amid challenges galore for the party and the government in the New Year.

Not yielding to Anna Hazare's demands, the government is understood to have decided to keep CBI out of the purview of the proposed Lokpal. The CBI itself had said that it does not want to come under the purview of the Lokpal. To bring the investigating agency under Lokpal’s ambit, amendments will be needed for which the government is not ready, as is being said.

The Congress Parliamentary Party meeting on Wednesday morning was the first such meeting to be addressed by Gandhi in the last few months as the Congress President had skipped the monsoon session in July-August on account of being ill.

Gandhi, who is also UPA chairperson, had gone abroad for surgery for an unspecified ailment at that time.

The CPP meeting is also being held at a time when the lokpal bill is being debated intensely.

She asked the MPs to work hard, expressing hope that the Congress will win the upcoming Assembly polls in five states.