Mangalore, February 24: Amidst the mounting crisis in the ruling party of the state, legislators from the twin coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada, who enjoy a close relationship with Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, have distanced themselves from the meeting at former CM B S Yeddyurappa's house.
Apart from MLAs and MLCs of twin district, Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel too kept off the meeting, despite the invitation. Though Mangalore North MLA Krishna J Palemar attended the meeting, he clarified to reporters that his intention was not leadership change.
However, energy minister Shobha Karandlaje, who also participated in her mentor's meeting did not make any public statement.
It's worth mentioning here that the BJP and RSS have a strong base in these two districts, besides the Malnad district of Chikmagalur, which shares a parliamentary constituency with Udupi.
However, most of the legislators, who avoided Yeddyurappa's meeting on Thursday, gave only two reasons: They were attending the Mangalore University convocation or making preparations for the Udupi-Chikmagalur byelection.
The legislators from the coastal districts are learnt to have decided not to openly identify with Yeddyurappa, who is spearheading the 'oust Gowda campaign'.
Meanwhile the Chief Minister, who participated in the 30th convocation of Mangalore University on Thursday, held a secret meeting with prominent RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat. The CM, who, has been very loyal to the party and the Sangh, which still wields considerable influence in these districts.
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