Yeddyurappa upset at being denied party reins

BANGALORE: Even as Karnataka BJP in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan arrived in Bangalore to sort out problems within the ruling party, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa expressed his disappointment over the party high command not making him state BJP president.“I am disappointed with the central leaders for not giving me the state BJP president’s post,” Yeddyurappa, who has so far been maintaining that he was not after any post, told reporters after his new office at Malleswaram was inaugurated on Friday.Refusing to attach any political significance to the decision to open his own office, Yeddyurappa said, “People from all political parties and leaders can come and meet me in this office with their grievances. I will take up the matter with ministers and departments concerned and even with the CM. ” Maintaining that his new office will not serve as a parallel power centre, Yeddyurappa said: “In fact, I do not want to topple the present government.  I would like its term to be completed. ” Yeddyurappa said he would meet senior party leader Arun Jaitley and Pradhan during their visit. He said he would like to convince the leaders about the reason for opening a separate office. Replying to a question, Yeddyurappa said he would like Sadananda Gowda and other friends to visit the office as it is essentially a “public meeting centre”. Ministers Umesh Katti, Murugesh Nirani, Shobha Karandlaje, MLAs S R Vishwanath, Nadish Reddy, Suresh Gowda, B P Harish, MP G S Basavaraju and others were present on the occasion.