Shettar to join Yeddyurappa ministry soon

Accepting BJP central leadership's directive as part of the truce between Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and his detractors, Karnataka Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar has decided to join the state ministry soon.

"It is true that the BJP high command has asked me to join the ministry. I will soon decide on the date on which to take oath and on resigning the Speaker's post", Shettar said.

Shettar had emerged as the rallying point for dissidents led by Tourism Minister G Janaradhana Reddy and his brother Revenue Minister G Karunakara Reddy who had raised a banner of revolt against Yeddyurappa accusing him of ignoring them in decision-making.

The mining magnet Reddy brothers had projected Shettar as the dissidents' choice for chief ministership. The two-week turmoil that threatened the BJP's first ever government in the south had ended on Sunday last after the party's top brass
hammered out the compromise formula under which Yeddyurappa's confidante Shoba Karandlaje was made to resign from the ministry and transfer of several officials rescinded.

Sources close to Shettar hinted the Lingayat leader from North Karnataka region was seeking advice on an auspicious date for the swearing-in.

He plans to resign a day ahead of taking oath, sources said. Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu, one of the leaders involved in defusing the crisis, met Shettar and communicated the party high command's decision that he should be in the cabinet and also as a member of the coordination committee which would be set up soon to monitor the performance of the government and its decisions.

A source in the rebel camp said it had no indication as of now whether Shettar alone would be inducted or some of his followers would also be joining the ministry as demanded by him.

According to party sources, four ministers have been asked to put in their papers to facilitate re-structuring of the ministry.