Yeddyurappa supporters claim RSS, BJP backing

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national leadership have thrown their weight behind Karnataka's beleaguered Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, his supporters claimed Sunday.

The chief minister's removal is being sought by the powerful Reddy brothers of Bellary.

Senior state party leaders supporting Yeddyurappa, former MP Dhananjay Kumar and state Home Minister V.S. Acharya met BJP leader L.K. Advani here Sunday and said they had been assured that there would be no leadership change.

Acharya and Kumar also met RSS pointsman and BJP general secretary (organisation) Ramlal Saturday and also claimed his support in favour of Yeddyurappa.

The Reddy brothers, both ministers in the state cabinet, are lobbying to appoint assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar as the chief minister.

Shettar also met central party leaders, including Arun Jaitley.

A senior party leader close to the political developments told IANS that "everything is under control and the CM is Mr. Yeddyurappa". All issues would be sorted out in a couple of days, he said.

Asked whether the chief minister still enjoyed the support of the RSS and the BJP leadership, he said: "The Sangh is not against Yeddyurappa."

Shettar, 53, is close to the Bellary brothers - dissident ministers G. Janardhana Reddy (Tourism) and elder brother G. Karunakara Reddy (Revenue).

Four-term legislator Shettar came to the BJP after being a member of the RSS and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

The BJP government in Karnataka, the party's first in the south, has been facing turmoil for days, with the Reddy brothers ranged against the chief minister.

Last updated on Nov 1^st, 2009 at 15:40 pm IST--IANS