BJP emissary in Bangalore to save government

Bangalore, June 30 (IANS) Nine Karnataka ministers loyal to former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who quit the ministry Friday, Saturday ruled out any compromise on their demand for removing Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda.

The assertion came as Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary in charge of Karnataka affairs Dharmendra Pradhan landed in Bangalore to try for a compromise.

"Our demand is to make (rural development minister) Jagadish Shettar chief minister in place of Sadananda Gowda. There is no going back on this," Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters here.

Shettar and Bommai are among the nine ministers who submitted their resignations to Gowda late Friday. The others are C.M. Udasi (public works), Murugesh Nirani (industries), V. Somanna (housing), Umesh Katti (agriculture), Revu Naik Belamagi (libraries and animal husbandry), M.P. Renukacharya (excise) and Raju Gowda (small scale industries).

Bommai and Udasi held Gowda responsible for the present mess in the state unit. The manner in which Gowda has conducted himself has led to "trust deficit" leading to resignation by the ministers, they said.

Soon after arrival Pradhan met state BJP chief K.S. Eshwarappa, who said earlier Saturday "there is no question of accepting the resignations".

Later he met the nine ministers and law makers loyal to Yeddyurappa. He will have talks with Gowda and his supporters later Saturday.