Sources: BJP offers olive branch to Karnataka Speaker

Source have told TIMES NOW that the BJP has offered an olive branch to Jagdish Shettar, who is the Speaker of the Karnataka assembly. Sources claim that in order to quell the infighting in the state BJP, the party’s central leadership has offered Shettar any cabinet post of his choice in Karnataka – but that Shettar has rejected this offer.

In the ongoing fight between Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and the Reddy brothers, Shettar seems to have become a rallying point for the latter as well as other dissident MLAs, and his name is apparently being proposed as a possible alternative to Yeddyurappa.

Shettar is said to have decided to resign as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and now if reports of his turning down a place in the Chief Minister’s cabinet are true, the BJP’s troubles in the state could get more complicated.

Shettar, who was in the city of Mysore yesterday (October 28) to attend a wedding on Wednesday, said,” I am closely watching the political developments. Rest of the things are left to the almighty.”

Sources say the Speaker also is unhappy with the chief minister’s style of functioning and also Minister for Rural Development and Panchyati Raj Shobha Karanlaje’s prominence in the government.

He is said to have thought of resigning on October 9, along with Chief Minister’s parliamentary secretary S A Ramdas and four others. However, the decision was put off in the wake of the floods in north Karnataka.

BJP leaders close to Shettar claimed supports from majority of the ministers including independents, MLAs that would take to a logical end in a week.

Earlier in the day, there were reports that the BJP high command, through the state BJP incharge, Arun Jaitley who is at present camped in Karnataka speaking to both sides, had conveyed to Yeddyurappa their support and asked him to take a call on how to deal with the brewing ‘rebellion’.

A jittery BJP has however, so far officially denied any infighting within the party.

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http://www.timesnow.tv/Sources-BJP-offers-olive-branch-to-Karnataka-Speaker/articleshow/4330783.cms