Bommai to meet Amit Shah in Delhi

Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is scheduled to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday and is likely to discuss the long-pending issue of appointing a Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly.

Bommai has already reached the national capital and is likely to meet Shah in the morning hours. The meeting has assumed importance as former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa is pushing his candidature for the post of the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, according to sources.

Bommai had recently stated that all 66 MLAs of the BJP are leaders of the opposition and the state government must tread cautiously. However, the statement was further ridiculed in the political circles.

The sources also said that the BJP high command is upset with the Karnataka leadership after its humiliating defeat in the Assembly elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah have lost interest in the state politics following the infighting within the BJP.

The BJP was criticised as the party had to attend the Budget Session without a Leader of the Opposition. The high command had spoken to BJP MLA Basavanagouda Patil Yatnal and others.

BJP MLA’s Suresh Kumar (Brahmin), V. Sunil Kumar (OBC), Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan (Vokkaliga), R. Ashoka (Vokkaliga), Arvind Bellad (Lingayat) are also considered for the post. Yediyurappa is opposing the candidature of Yatnal as he was involved in activities that led to the former Chief Minister’s stepping down.