Yeddyurappa's attempts to regain lost post fails

BANGALORE: Rebuffing party strongman B S Yeddyurappa's bid to regain the chief minister's post, BJP today ruled out removal of incumbent D V Sadananda Gowda, indicating he has to wait till he is cleared of corruption charges.

Yeddyurappa's ultimatum of February 27 for his reinstatement as chief minister failed to cut any ice with BJP President Nitin Gadkari whom the sulking leader met before the 'chinthan manthan' brainstorming session of party legislators and MPs at a resort on the city outskirts.

"Sadananda Gowda is leading the government now. The question of changing the leadership does not arise," the BJP chief said a day after Yeddyurappa held a meeting of legislators to his strength.

The two-day session was reduced to a less than a day affair as the open power struggle cast a shadow on the meet.

However, the party maintained the decision to curtail the meeting was to devote more attention to the March 18 bypoll to Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha constituency which Sadananda Gowda had vacated after becoming the chief minister.

Gadkari sought to play down the power struggle triggered by Yeddyurappa's renewed intensified bid to regain the chief ministership, saying "first of all there is no political crisis in Karnataka. The party is united. The party is very much committed for the progress and development of Karnataka."