Dissidence in BJP fizzles out before it begins

Fresh dissidence activities in the BJP appears to have fizzled out even before it could begin.

A dinner hosted by former minister Umesh Katti for a few MLAs from North Karnataka at his residence on Thursday gave way for speculations of a fresh round of rebellion against Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

As news of the meeting reached the CM, he made efforts to defuse it by talking to dissident MLAs, Katti and Murgesh Nirani.

Later in the day, Nirani said he hosted dinner as legislators from North Karnataka region had not met due to Covid 19. "Even the CM asked whether he could also come for dinner," Katti said. A ministerial hopeful, Katti is upset and angry with the CM for two reasons -- he didn't make him a Minister and there are no signs of his brother Ramesh Katti getting a Rajya Sabha ticket.

Meanwhile, another rebel MLA Basanvagouda Patil said he had no plans to become a Minister in the Yediyurappa government. Saying there are no plans to destabilise the government, the former union minister said he will follow instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and party national president JP Nadda. "Yediyurappa is just a CM,'' he said, almost dismissing him as his leader.

Some of the MLAs, who were said to be part of the dinner meeting, like Subash Guttedar and Mahadevappa Yadavada, have denied meeting Katti or attending any rebel meeting.