Gowda insulted my loyalists: BS Yeddyurappa

In Karnataka, the rift between Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda and his predecessor BS Yeddyurappa has widened.

Yeddyurappa on Sunday accused Gowda of insulting party MPs, while justifying the political crisis in the state. Nine Yeddyurappa's loyalists on Saturday quit their Cabinet posts claiming they have been insulted by Gowda.

"Ministers and MLAs angry because they have been insulted by Sadananda Gowda. It is true a few ministers and MLAs have quit their posts and handed over the resignations to me. I'll take the decision in the appropriate time. The reason is that the Karnataka Chief Minister wrote a letter to BJP president Nitin Gadkari seeking disciplinary action against them because they were close to me," Yeddyurappa said.

He also said that for the past five months there has been no legislature party meeting. "Why is there no meeting? About nine ministers have resigned. I will take my decision in sometime."

Yeddyurappa praised Congress president Sonia Gandhi, saying "One thing I have noticed about the Congress party is that when Sonia Gandhi was in Tumkur, all the Congress leaders who were at the stage with her was united despite all their differences, but in my party everyone waits to pull the rug under a person who is in trouble."

The move is being seen as a pressure tactic by Yeddyurappa to secure more Cabinet berths for his loyalists. Sources said that Gowda is heading to Delhi to meet the party top brass. Sources also say that Yeddyurappa may be thinking of resigning from the Assembly. Yeddyurapa told CNN-IBN that he would decide his next step soon.

Excise Minister MP Renukacharya, a Yeddyurappa loyalist, said, "I have been saying this from the past. If Yeddyurappa will not be the Chief Minister, I will resign from the ministership."

BJP MP GS Basavraj said, "It's a very serious situation. It should be handled with care. Yeddyurappa cannot continue to hold the party to ransom."

Meanwhile, Gowda has downplayed the crisis in his Cabinet. "I have not received any resignation letter so far. There is no crisis in BJP", Gowda told reporters when his reaction was sought over the resignation letters submitted by seven ministers to Yeddyurappa.