by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore

Bangalore, Oct 26: The episode in which the Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa threatened to quit the coalition government in the State yesterday has come to light. Provocation: His party (BJP) being sidelined in the processes of administrative and political decisions by the Chief Minister and the consequent disillusionment.

He had gone to the extent of tendering his resignation, protesting against the coalition partner, BJP, being ignored while deciding on matters such as the selection of persons for Ekikarana award as well as Kannada Rajyotsava award, recent transfer of Police Officers in Dakshina Kannada District and other matters.

In the backdrop of getting over Yediyurappa's ire as well as the communication gap between the coalition partners, BJP State President D. Sadananda Gowda contacted the Transport Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy and apprised him of the situation.

Having called a hurried meeting of the Ministers of his party as well as the party's State President at his residence, Yediyurappa explained on a note of helplessness, "The Chief Minister has ignored me also in the matter of selecting persons for this year's Kannada Rajyotsava and Ekeekarana awards. Those who belong to our fold are not included in the list. Many aspirants have met me and have appealed. It has not been possible to get the award to the deserving persons."

Home Minister M.P. Prakash had tossed and dumped in the dustbin the letter of recommendation to transfer the Police officers facing changes of dereliction of duty during the recent communal clashes in Dakshina Kannada District, Yediyurappa said.

Cabinet expansion

The Chief Minister was creating the impression among the public that the delay over Cabinet expansion and nominations of Chairpersons to the various Corporations and Boards in the State was because of the BJP, he added.

He is blaming us for that in spite of our list of persons having been made ready. The Chief Minister was taking decision independently on many administrative matters, Yediyurappa complained.

Moreover, resolutions passed in the Co-ordination Committee meeting earlier had not been implemented, he added.

"I have no desire to continue in my post for the sake of enjoying comforts. I have the powers but I am not in a position to be of help to anybody. I will not continue in my office. You all may make adjustments with the Chief Minister and manage the Government," Yediyurappa told his colleagues in the party.

Later, Sadananda Gowda and Cheluvarayaswamy arranged a meeting between the two leaders (Yediyurappa and Kumara-swamy) at the Chief Minister's Home office Krishna during which it was resolved that all matters would be decided after threadbare discussions and also to revise the list of awardees. Further, Yediyurappa withdrew his decision to quit.

Earlier, it also happened that Yediyurappa and Ministers Jagdish Shettar, Shankara-murthy, Katta Subramanya Naidu and Dr. V.S. Acharya waited for two hours at 'Krishna' to meet the Chief Minister. They were forced to wait on the ground floor because the Chief Minister was taking part in a meeting of ministers and officials discussing issues relating to sugarcane price and metro rail project implementation.