Former Karnataka chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa held a rally in Haveri to launch his political outfit, a regional party in Karnataka on Sunday.
The rally was well attended and organizers had said they were expecting at least 5 lakh supporters to attend.
Yeddyurappa described as “vindictive” the party’s sacking of his loyalist and Cooperative Minister B J Puttaswamy from the ministry.
The BJP also suspended Tumkur MP G S Basavaraj.Yeddyrappa said the action could not dissuade others from supporting him.He dared the BJP to dissolve the state assembly and face the people’s mandate “if they had faith in democratic values”.
Puttaswamy said he had no regrets in being dismissed from the ministry but did not approve of the methods of Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar.
Yeddyurappa told reporters on Saturday that he wanted the government to complete its full term.If they create a situation wherein it falls, he said he was not responsible.On Sunday, another Minister Sunil Valyapure quit the government to join Yeddyurappa’s party.
In a potential sign of trouble for the BJP government in the state, at least 10 ruling party MLAs attended the rally ignoring the party warnings to legislators and other leaders to keep away from it.