B S Yeddyurappa, CM Sadananda Gowda factions head for showdown

BANGALORE: Karnataka BJP president K S Eshwarappa on Saturday ruled out accepting the resignations of nine ministers loyal to B S Yeddyurappa, who are pushing for replacing chief minister Sadananda Gowda with their nominee Jagadish Shettar.

“There is no question of accepting the resignation of the ministers,” he told reporters after meeting Gowda. Meanwhile, BJP’s “in-charge of Karnataka affairs”, Dharmendra Pradhan, arrived in the state seeking to resolve the crisis.

Eshwarappa said he is confident that Gowda and “friends” supporting Shettar would abide by any decision of the party's central leadership. Minister for labour and sericulture, B N Bache Gowda, met Sadananda Gowda and later told reporters there was no question of change of leadership.

“There is no question of leadership change. He will continue as chief minister,” Bache Gowda said.