The chief minister meanwhile is unfazed by the latest rebellion against his leadership. After brief meeting with Governor HR Bhardwaj at the Raj Bhavan this morning, he said he was confident that the crisis would be resolved soon. "We have faced such crisis in the past and we have resolved them successfully. This time also, I am confident we will resolve the crisis. Party central leaders have assured me", he said. His famous smile was firmly in place.
The nine ministers who handed their resignations to Mr Gowda yesterday are Jagadish Shettar, CM Udasi, Basavaraja Bommai, Murugesh Nirani, V Somanna, Umesh Katti, MP Renukacharya, Revu Naik Belamagi and Raju Gowda. But Mr Gowda has so far refused to accept their resignations. Mr Eshwarappa today also ruled out accepting their resignations. "There is no question of accepting the resignation of the ministers", he told reporters after a meeting with Mr Gowda. The resignation of these ministers, if accepted, could stall much of government functioning. It will bring down the strength of the Sadananda Gowda cabinet to 13 ministers - the Chief Minister already tackles 21 portfolios.
Mr Yeddyurappa's camp - he claims he has the support of 70 MLAs (more than half of the BJP's total strength in the Assembly) - insist they want a change in leadership and have been demanding a legislature party meeting, which has not been called yet. The initial demand that Mr Yeddyurappa be brought back changed some months ago to one for a Lingayat leader as Chief Minister - Minister Jagadish Shettar is the favoured candidate.
This is not the first time that Mr Yeddyurappa has put his party into an embarrassing spot - he is wont to do this periodically. The last time the Yeddyurappa camp brought matters to a boil with a resignation drama, ministers loyal to him had handed their resignations to Mr Yeddyurappa. By giving their letters to the Chief Minister this time, they have signalled that they are upping the ante. But Mr Yeddyurappa himself has been unusually quiet. He has said he will not speak for a month; Karnataka watchers say Mr Yeddyurappa, who is known to be very superstitious, will not do anything in the ashada month, considered inauspicious. He also moved to his new house in Dollars Colony in Bangalore just before the month began, and is said to hope it will bring him luck.
Mr Yeddyurappa was forced to quit as chief minister last year after a report by the state's ombudsman indicted him for corruption. He picked Mr Gowda as his successor. But lately, their relationship has soured, with the protege refusing to oblige his onetime mentor by stepping down. Mr Yeddyurappa's woes have grown considerably since a CBI investigation was ordered against him in illegal mining cases.
The resignation of eight ministers will not threaten the government and the rebel camp's move is clearly an effort to twist the BJP's central leadership's hand and force Mr Gowda out. The BJP's central leadership is reluctant to decide on this demand till the election for President of India takes place on July 19. Party president Nitin Gadkari is also busy with his son's wedding.
Mr Gowda is confident he will complete his term. Elections are due in Karnataka in less than a year.