Shettar may resign on Thursday

BANGALORE: Speaker Jagadish Shettar, who was propped up by rebel leaders Reddy brothers as an alternative to B S Yeddyurappa during the fortnight-long crisis, is all set to resign on November 14 or 15.
After deliberations and pressure from various quarters for over a week, Shettar is said to have finally agreed to resign and join the cabinet. Shettar arrived at this decision after national BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu along with Bangalore Central MP P C Mohan met him on Wednesday and conveyed the central leadership's message to abide by its diktat.Naidu was in the city for three hours only on this mission.
Besides constitution of a core committee, inclusion of Shettar was one of the prime demands of the rebels for continuation of Yeddyurappa in the CM's gaddi. The bosses in New Delhi feel that Shettar's inclusion in the ministry will boost the party prospects.
Yeddyurappa on Monday formally extended an invitation to Shettar to join his ministry. But Shettar sought a few days' time to decide. He may be sworn in with three or four ministers once the core committee, expected to meet next week, gives its nod. Shettar may also be part of this committee along with senior ministers, with Sushma Swaraj overseeing it.
Shettar, who served as BJP state president and leader of the opposition besides being a revenue minister in the Kumaraswamy cabinet, was cut up at not being included in the cabinet when Yeddyurappa took over as the CM. Shettar's non-inclusion, considered a move to sideline him, had sparked off strong protests from Shettar's supporters. However, Shettar gave in to to pressure from the party high command and accepted the Speaker's post.
Earlier in the day, ministers G Janardhan Reddy, B Sriramulu and party spokesperson C T Ravi met Ananth Kumar for a courtesy call. However, the Reddys are insisting that two ministers -- Basavaraj Bommai and Hartal Halappa -- should be dropped immediately. Though there was speculation that both ministers had tendered their resignation to Yeddyurappa, Bommai called it "false''.
Sources close to the CM said Yeddyurappa may drop Bommai as he's one of the key strategists, along with home minister V S Acharya and Shobha Karandlaje, who resigned on Monday.
toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com