BJP high command summons Jarkiholi to Delhi

Bangalore, Mar 22 (PTI): Hours after holding parleys with BJP strongman B S Yeddyurappa and Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda over the leadership issue, BJP high command summoned Municipal Administration Minister Bhalachandra Jarkiholi to New Delhi in a bid to solve the political crisis. "I have been summoned by the party central leadership and will fly to New Delhi tonight with my supporters to present my view on political developments in the state," Jarkiholi told reporters here. Minister Anand Asnotikar, KGF MLA Y Sampangi and C P Yogeshwar would accompany Jarkiholi, party sources said. Jarkiholi is expected to meet senior party leaders L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh and National BJP President Nitin Gadkari tomorrow, party sources said. Jarkiholi and his supporters are an important cog in the wheel for the state government's survival. The BJP has 120 MLAs, including the Speaker in 224-member assembly. Jarkiholi, along with Asnotikar and Sampangi, had met Governor H R Bhardwaj yesterday, fuelling speculation that they would resign to stall Yeddyurappa's comeback efforts. On March 18,Jarkiholi along with 19 legislators had threatened to resign if Yeddyurappa was reinstated. The 16 MLAs including Jarikiholi - 11 of them from BJP and the others Independents - were disqualified by Speaker K G Bopaiah on October 10 2010, two days before the deadline fixed by the Governor to Yeddyurappa to prove his majority after the legislators wrote a letter withdrawing their support to him. The Supreme Court on May 13 2011 struck down the Speaker's order and also the High Court verdict which upheld it. The legislators,including Jarkiholi,had wanted Yeddyurappa to step down as Chief Minister.