Yediyurappa meets PM, scheduled to meet Shah and Nadda today

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for over 10 minutes on Friday evening following a sudden visit to New Delhi, reportedly at the instance of the PM.

Yediyurappa was not accompanied to New Delhi by any minister but travelled with his younger son and BJP state vice-president B Y Vijayendra, along with a few close aides. However, he met the Prime Minister alone.

His body language during and after the meeting did not reveal any signs of tension — unlike after a January meeting with the BJP central leadership and Home Minister Amit Shah.

“During the meeting, the CM requested that the Upper Bhadra Project be declared a national project and also sought financial assistance of Rs 6,000 crore for the Bengaluru Peripheral Ring Road project. The Mekedatu project and establishing a US Consulate were also discussed,” the Chief Minister’s Office said in an official statement.

Yediyurappa had earlier in the day attended a virtual meeting with Modi to discuss the Covid-19 situation and preparations for a possible third wave of the pandemic. He is scheduled to meet Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as well as BJP president J P Nadda on Saturday before flying back to Bengaluru.

With the meeting coming just 10 days ahead of the second anniversary of the BJP government led by Yediyurappa in Karnataka, there was speculation that a change of guard may be discussed.