Sabahuddin Ahmed: LeT’s key man in India

From an unassuming native of Bihar to a dreaded Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist, Sabahuddin Ahmed has come a long way in just six years.

His rise came despite his Lashkar minders’s unhappiness over the attack on the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, which they felt had not gone according to plan. Ahmed was even pulled up for wasting a large amount of money on the terror operation.

This failure not withstanding, Ahmed was elected to meet top Inter Services Intelligence officers in Pakistan and chosen to carry out the New Year’s day 2008 attack on the Central Reserve Police Force camp in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. He also supervised fellow Indian Fahim Ansari’s survey of targets identified for the Mumbai attacks. Ahmed was, by then, Lashkar’s chief of operations in Nepal.

The mammoth dossier on Ahmed available with Indian security agencies suggests that he returned to Pakistan immediately after the IISc attack. After receiving a dressing down from Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhwi, Lashkar’s terror-in-charge, Ahmed stayed at a Lashkar camp to train other youth.

He also involved himself in the technical side of terror and created a database of fake e-mail IDs for terrorists.

Convinced by his keen interest in terror, Lashkar leaders sent Ahmed to Bangladesh. He was sent in at a time when Lashkar and Harkat-ul-Jihadi terrorists were having trouble crossing over into India. Ahmed left for Bangladesh in December 2006 with two satellite phones and several SIM cards, which were to be handed to terrorists there.

In Bangladesh he met a man named Jahangir and with him, plotted a safe route for terrorists into India. Ahmed stayed on in Bangladesh till February 2007.

Impressed with his work, the Lashkar sent him to Nepal. Ahmed told his Indian interrogators that he stayed in Kathmandu for a month doing nothing. He enrolled for a computer course on March 10, 2007, and rented a house.

A few days later, Muzzamil, another Lashkar top terrorist, told him a man named Sohail alias Mohammad Sharif would meet him in Nepal. Muzzamil instructed Ahmed to train Sohail since he was a failed terrorist.

Sohail had been sent to India and asked to target the Kanwarias, devotees of Lord Shiva who carry Ganga Jal (water from the river Ganga) on their heads and walk to Hardwar. Sohail failed in his diabolic mission; Ahmed was asked to meet him and find out why. Later, he told Muzzamil that Sohail’s mission had failed due to lack of hard work.

Ahmed trained Sohail for a couple of months and then sent him back to Pakistan. Impressed with his work, he was asked to take care of Lashkar’s Nepal operations. Several men were sent to him for training; he also set up several routes from Nepal to infiltrate India.

Muzzamil then asked Ahmed to plan the attack in Uttar Pradesh. The CRPF camp in Rampur was identified. Three terrorists — Sahzad, Sohail and Mohammad Farooq Bhatti — were assigned to carry out this attack. Ahmed helped the trio cross the border. The Lashkar leadership deemed the attack a success. Ahmed was nominated a bigger player in the terror network’s future operations.

Ahmed’s statement to Indian intelligence agencies indicates that the plan to carry out an attack in Mumbai began to take shape on January 23, 2008. Muzzamil asked him to meet Fahim Ansari, who is also being tried for his role in the Mumbai attacks.

Ahmed had met Ansari once before, in Kathmandu, in November 2007, when he had traveled from Pakistan.

Last year, he helped Ansari, a resident of Mumbai, cross over to India where he began to collect information on various targets in his native city.

According to Indian officials who interrogated Ahmed, he was extremely crucial to the Lashkar’s plans. The fact that he met with top ISI officers during his stay in Pakistan is an indication that the Lashkar had a lot of faith in him.

Before interrogating him, the police visualised him as a hardcore terrorist. Two officers, who interrogated Ahmed in Bengaluru, told rediff.com that they were taken aback when they began to question him.

Ahmed was very soft spoken and extremely cooperative during the interrogation. The 25-year-old Bihari native attempted being friendly with his interrogators and tried to convince them about the problems that Muslim youth faced in India. He also explained why he was compelled to take to jihad.

He never posed as an accused during the entire interrogation. He portrayed himself as a victim at all times. At one point he took the interrogators by surprise when he said, ‘You people have never operated an AK-47 rifle. I know that and I also know the kind of weapons you people use. I have a great deal of expertise in handling the AK-47. I can teach all of you about the weapon.’

Hedley planned to establish a terror network

David Headley, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in October, is proving to be an important link in unraveling the terror network.

Intelligence Bureau agents have informed

Taj under attack

the Mumbai police that Headley made several visits to the city. The police are now probing Headley’s links with the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, IB sources told rediff.com

According to information available with the IB, Headley visited Mumbai in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He changed his name to David Headley from Daood Gilani around 2006.

Sources say Headley traveled on a business visa; he got in touch with a US firm which specialised in creating fake visas and passports. He located a similar firm in Tardeo, central Mumbai, which helped him procure fake travel documents.

With the help of these fake documents, Headley traveled to India at least five times. During each visit, he made it a point to visit the visa agency.

Headley was present in India when the terror attacks on Mumbai was being planned and he may have been aware of such a plan, the IB sources say.

If investigations reveal that Headley activated a local module to assist the 26/11 attacks, the Mumbai police may file an additional charge-sheet detailing this link, the sources added.

IB agents suspect Headley’s brief in Mumbai was to establish a network of sleeper cells to assist terror attacks.

Headley also traveled to other states including Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, using his business visa. The FBI has revealed that Headley had conducted a reconnaissance of the National Defence College in New Delhi where he planned a terror attack.

The making of a Jihadi

The chilling tale of how a reasonably bright college student descended into the dark world of jihadi terrorism.

Sabahuddin Ahmed played a key role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He was the crucial Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative in Nepal, responsible for planning many attacks in India . He has been charged with three major attacks — 26/11, the January 1, 2008 attack on a Central Reserve Police Force camp in Uttar Pradesh and the December 29, 2005 attack on the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru.

Sabahuddin, who was arrested in February 2008, is currently being tried in a special court in Mumbai, along with Ajmal Kasab [ Images ], the lone Pakistani terrorist captured during the Mumbai attacks, and Fahim Ansari, an Indian national who conducted reconnaissance of like terror targets in Mumbai.

A dossier prepared by the Intelligence Bureau and investigating agencies spells out who exactly Sabahuddin Ahmed is.

Sabahuddin Ahmed alias Saba alias Farhan, aged 25 years, is a resident of village and post office Gandhwar, police station Sakri, Madhubani district, Bihar.

This is his confession to the investigating agencies:

“I was born in Madhubani, Bihar, on January 27, 1984. My father Shabbir Ahmed [ Images ] is an agriculturist and my mother, Shagufta Bano, is a housewife. My father is a panchayat samiti member in the Rahika block since 2001. I have two younger brothers — Imaduddin, 23, and Shahbuddin, 15.

I started my preliminary education in the Darsgah Islami School. Later I joined the J M High School at Kumatul district and passed my SSLC with a first class.

I joined the Aligarh Muslim University, UP, in the year 2000 for 10+2 in physics, chemistry and biology. During my studies, I was staying in room no 28, B Block, Allam Iqbal Hall of the AMU.

One of my classmates, Shariq Anwar of Lavam village, Bihar, suddenly disappeared. His father came to the university in search of him. I offered to help and during this period his father received a call saying that they should call off the search and not to create a scene in the university.

We realised that Anwar was in touch with a person by the name Ajmal, who was a member of the Students Islamic Movement of India. Later we got a letter from Anwar stating that there is no need to search for him since he was taking up the cause of jihad.

Later I was approached by a person by the name Athiq who asked me if there was any complaint against Anwar. I said no.

The Gujarat riots made a big difference to me. I used to meet with a school friend by the name Faraaz Ahmed who was with me in AMU. He introduced me to a person by the name Ajmal with whom we used to have discussions about the riots.

I was influenced by the way in which Ajmal used to speak. Ajmal realised that I had become emotional and I could be used for jihadi activities.

I was then taken by Ajmal to meet Athiq, who was residing in the Jamalpur area of Aligarh. He was running a coaching centre called Fathiq Coaching Centre. He was about 5.8 feet tall, sported a beard and moustache. I later realised that he was the same person who came and inquired about Anwar.

There was a lot of discussion about jihad and often we referred to the Quran. I was finally convinced that jihad is a must in a situation such as this and there was a need to take revenge for the violence in Gujarat.

During the first week of March 2002, Ajmal took me to a person named Salim Salar (Doctor). Doctor was into sending people to Pakistan via Kashmir for training for jihad. I met Doctor at his house in Jamalpur next to railway line and he asked me as to why I was interested in going for jihad. I just told him that I was interested.

I met him again the next day and he took me to Sulaiman Hall where he arranged a meeting with Basharat Jaffrey, who was basically from Surankot in Poonch district. I was told that this man would take me to Kashmir. I was asked to return on March 12 and told that I would be taken to Kashmir.

On March 12, I went to Doctor’s house carrying a small bag with clothes in it. I was given a letter in Urdu which I was asked to hide in my shoe. I was supposed to hand over this letter to a person in Kashmir. I was then taken to the railway station where Basharat was waiting along with his aunt and daughter.

We reached Jammu on March 13 and for the next two days we stayed in Bashrat’s relative’s house. From there we went to Rajouri district and stayed in a hotel that night. Next day we reached Surankot by bus at noon and went to Basharat’s house. After dropping his aunt and daughter, we left for Thana Mandi in Rajouri district.

Close to that place there is a place called Shahdra. From there we continued our journey by walk since it was a mountainous terrain. At this time Bashrat threatened me that if I revealed anything to the police in case I was arrested, he would destroy my family.

He also said that in case both were caught, I had to tell them that he was a doctor and I was accompanying him as his assistant to treat a patient.

After reaching our destination, we stayed a house in a village. Two militants armed with AK-47 rifles visited the house and spoke to Basharat. Later they took me to their hideout for which we had to trek for more than three hours.

Both of them introduced themselves as Abu Hanzala Adnan and Abu Umar Qatada. Both were Pakistan nationals and aged between 22 and 23 years. When I reached another house there were two more militants, Abu Saifulla and Salahuddin Manipur. We stayed there for a week.

From there I was taken to Abu Muslim Jarrar, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba commander of Rajouri. I handed over the letter given to me by Doctor. I then returned to the hideout. Over here I was trained to dismantle and assemble the AK-47 and also was trained to use hand grenades.

After five days, Hanzala came back to the hideout. I was then introduced to three more Lashkar militants, Abu-Al-Qasim, Abu Hamza and Abu Zarrar. I was taken to a different hideout where I spent 15 days. Here was I was given an AK-47 rifle with a magazine containing 45 rounds.

After 15 days I was taken back to the earlier hideout by Hamza and was handed over to Qatada who was present with another militant Abu Jundal. After training for a couple of days, I was taken to Hilkaka where there were around 50 militants. The commander here was Abu Fahadulla.

From here we were asked to go to Pakistan. We waked through Poonch and through several jungles until we were close to the Pakistan army [ Images ] post. We were received by the Pakistan army who took away our arms and ammunition. They gave us breakfast and registered our names and addresses.

We were then taken by the Pakistan army to a point from where the Lashkar men took us. We were taken to a Lashkar camp in a place called Forward Kahota in PoK. This is where militants are trained and later sent into Jammu and Kashmir [ Images ].

We stayed here for two days and then were taken to meet a Colonel Musa who was in the Inter Services Intelligence. However, he was not there in the camp.

I was then taken to Kotli and from there we reached a place called Ibne-Taima (code for a Lashkar camp). Here we met with Abu-Al-Qama and Azam Cheema, who later trained me.

I was then trained rigorously in this camp. We had to wake up at 3 am and offer prayers. We then had another prayer at 4.30 am and this was followed by physical training. We were then given breakfast following which we had to undergo arms training. We were trained here for four months after which we were taken to an ISI camp in Mianwali. Here we underwent training for 50 days in firing.

When they thought that I was ready, I was introduced to a Major Dogar who took me to Lahore [ Images ] airport. Before I left for the airport I also met Colonel Kiyani. He told me that I should visit my country and establish myself. I flew from Lahore to Doha, Abu Dhabi, and then to Kathmandu, from where I entered India.

I then travelled by road back to my house. My parents were shocked to see me back again. They told me that various cases of my being missing had been lodged. I told them I had gone away to Delhi [ Images ] to prepare for my exams and also worked in a bookshop there. I stayed at home for a couple of months and I kept in touch with the Lashkar in Pakistan.

After a couple of weeks, I was asked to go to Kathmandu. Here I was given to understand that an operation was being planned in Bengaluru. I was taken to Bengaluru in July 2004. Here we did a recee of several schools and colleges. However, this plan was changed later and we decided to carry out a strike on the Indian Institute of Science.

That attack was not a success and we were pulled up by the Lashkar commanders in Pakistan. We had to return to Pakistan immediately after the attack where we were told that the attack was not a success.”

Following the IISc attack, Sabahuddin trained extensively in Nepal and Pakistan following which he helped in the attack on the CRPF camp in Uttar Pradesh.

Sabahuddin also says around this time they also did a recee in Mumbai. He made arrangements to transport Fahim Ansari to Mumbai. Fahim returned to Nepal with sketches of various targets in Mumbai.

Sabahuddin was arrested in 2008 following the UP attack and it was during his interrogation that he spoke about his life and his journey into jihad. During the interrogation he also discussed at length plans for an attack on Mumbai.

Despite being informed by the UP police, the Mumbai police did not act on the information, stating that Sabahuddin Ahmed was not wanted in any case in Mumbai and hence they did not seek his custody.

K’taka CM vows to ‘work together’

B.S. Yeddyurappa with Jagadish Shettar

Stung by the internal revolt within the party against his style of functioning, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday vowed to ‘work together’ in the future for the development of the people and the state.

“You will see a different Yeddyurappa from tomorrow,” he told reporters at midnight at his residence, on arrival from New Delhi,where the Bharatiya Janata Party evolved an ‘amicable settlement’ to end the two-week long stalemate following the revolt.

Expressing relief over the crisis having blown over, he said, “Now I am extremely happy”.

Refusing to divulge details of the compromise formula, he said they would be clear within a few days. The chief minister, who arrived to a rousing welcome by his supporters at the airport, said he would meet Speaker Jagadeesh Shettar on Monday.

Shettar had been the rallying point of the rebel leaders who had demanded that he replace Yeddyurappa. Shettar had earlier refused a ministerial berth offer, made by the ruling party, when the crisis broke out.

He ruled out reports about dropping ministers from his state cabinet or a reshuffle of portfolios, as per the compromise formula adopted by the party top brass.

Although Yeddyurappa is reportedly on three-month ‘probation’, he is still hopeful about saving his post. He told reporters that a central team comprising BJP’s senior leaders is scheduled to arrive in Bengaluru in the next three to four days and the further course of action will be discussed after that.

When asked specifically about reports of axing ministers, Yeddyurappa said, “There is no question of that. There is also no cabinet reshuffle in the near future”.

He also evaded queries about another demand put forward by the rebellious Reddy brothers — Tourism Minister Janardhan Reddy, Revenue Minister Karunakar Reddy, Chairman of Karnataka Milk Federation Somashekhar Reddy and Health Minister B Sriramulu — to reinstate the transferred officials in Bellary district.

“It is not a matter I would want to discuss with the media. I would discuss this with the Reddy brothers instead,” Yeddyurappa said.

Meanwhile, the Reddy brothers have decided to adopt a wait-and-watch policy. They are not speaking openly about the compromise formula, but sources in the camp confirmed that Yeddyurappa is on probation and his performance in the next three months will decide his political fate.

“The central leadership, which will visit Bengaluru in the next three to four days, will make important decisions and we are hopeful that these changes will be made for the betterment of the state,” the sources said.

Lashkar’s target: Indian schools and Bollywood stars

Union Home Secretary G K Pillai says it is clear that David Headley — the United States-based man accused of terror links by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation — was acting at the behest of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba in Pakistan.
When asked if Headley has links to the Mumbai attacks of 26/11, Pillai told rediff.com in a telephone conversation from New Delhi that it was too early to comment on this issue.

Mumbai terror attack

“Our agencies are probing the matter,” the home secretary said, “and we will get more details soon.”

He said a decision on whether to seek Headley’s extradition from the US to India would be taken once the team of Intelligence Bureau and Research and Analysis Wing agents return to India.

The FBI has provided access to agents from India’s domestic and external intelligence agencies to the information it has gathered on Headley and his associate Tahawwur Husain Rana, who is also in the FBI’s custody.

Investigations reveal that Headley — who was known as Daood Gilani till he changed his name — has visited India several times. Sources in India’s security agencies told this correspondent that Lashkar founder Mohammad Sayeed kept in regular touch with Headley and convinced him to focus on India and drop plans the American national had to attack an editor and cartoonist at the Danish newspaper which published cartoons on Prophet Mohammad two years ago.

Sources in the Intelligence Bureau told rediff.com that Headley is suspected of planning strikes on Indian schools and targeting Bollywood stars.

The IB sources say the plot to attack schools in India was devised during an exchange of e-mail between Headley, Rana and their Lashkar minders in Pakistan. The sources point out that specific intelligence about Lashkar’s plans to target Indian schools was passed on to security agencies at least three months ago.

Recent intelligence gathered by Indian intelligence agencies reveal that several terrorists are being trained in Pakistan occupied Kashmir for attacks in India.

During his reconnissance of targets in India, Headley was asked by his Lashkar minders to establish contacts with Indians who could assist his murderous missions. Indian security agencies are now trying to locate the sleeper cells who would have played a part in such attacks.

IB sources say sleeper cells in south India are being closely monitored since intelligence inputs suggest that Lashkar leaders have specifically asked sleeper cells in the south to be roused for future operations.

KAR-NATAK: will the ceasefire last?

A truce between the warring factions in the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka has been worked out finally after two weeks.

BJP sources say that the truce was arrived at after taking into consideration the larger interest of the national party so that the Congress does not take advantage of the situation and bounce back to power where the BJP has a strong hold.

Top sources in New Delhi told rediff.com that they could not afford anymore crisis.

They say that a chief minister of another BJP-led state is likely to come under attack since the Congress was attempting to build cases against him. The national leadership of the BJP will have to deal with this issue, too, and hence could not afford anymore bickering in the party.

However, it appears that in Karnataka a compromise formula has been worked out. The BJP is aware of the fact that the Congress is hurt that it had lost Karnataka — its strong bastion.

The high command did everything to defend Yeddyurappa since it was aware that any move to remove him would prove fatal to the party. Yeddyurappa is the face of the party in Karnataka and at least 90 per cent of the Lingayat votes ride on him.
Sources said that if Yeddyurappa is removed at this point of time, then all the Lingayats would boot the BJP out and vote for the Congress instead.

However, sources specify though a truce has been worked out, but in reality a lot of differences between the warring factions still remain.

Sources close to Jagadish Shettar, who is pitched by the Reddy camp as the next chief minister, say that Yedyurappa will stay as the CM only for three months.

Sources said Yeddyurappa will present the next Karnataka budget in February and then step down himself.
However, the Yeddyurappa camp denies any such plans.

Meanwhile, both factions confirm that a six-point formula has been worked out between the two factions. While the removal of V P Baligar and Shobha Karandlage has already been effected, the remaining changes will be done soon.

A core committee, headed by Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, will be in place to oversee most decisions taken by the chief minister. Four more ministers from the Yeddyurappa camp will be dropped and six MLAs from the Reddy faction will be inducted into the Cabinet.

There appears to be a solution to the crisis. However, several BJP leaders say that it will be short-lived. A cabinet meeting is scheduled at Bangalore on Monday morning following which the chief minister and the Reddy brothers will leave for North Karnataka to review the flood relief works.

Crisis over in Karnataka

Terming the truce a birthday gift to L K Advani, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and the ‘rebel’ Janardhan Reddy said at a joint press conference — that the crisis is over and they are returning to Karnataka to work for the flood-relief victims.

Both leaders said the differences had been worked out jointly. “We will return to Bangalore together,” they said outside Sushma Swaraj’s house in New Delhi. They also said that they would tour Northern Karnataka together where floods wreaked havoc.

Janardhan Reddy said, “We have listened to our mother (Sushma Swaraj). As per her directive, we have decided to put an end to the crisis. The BJP will complete its five-year term in the state and we will work jointly with the chief minister for the welfare of the state.”

Although both leaders did not spell out in detail about the compromise formula, sources in the BJP told rediff.com that the first change that would be noticed is the change of six ministers in the Karnataka cabinet. However the ministers would not be changed overnight, but would be done in a phased manner.

Apart from having a vetting team comprising senior leaders, the formula includes dropping Shobha Karandlage, Basavaraj Bommai, Hartal Halappa and Bache Gowda from the cabinet.

K’taka BJP’s future hinged on a compromise forumla

A last-ditch attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party high command to resolve the ongoing crisis in the Karnataka government appears to have failed, with the rebel state ministers — Tourism Minister Janardhan Reddy, Revenue Minister Karunakar Reddy, Chairman of Karnataka Milk Federation Somashekhar Reddy and Health Minister B Sriramulu — sticking to their demand for the removal of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.

Janardhan Reddy, who held a meeting with his brother Karunakar Reddy, told a press conference in Bengaluru that he is hopeful that the party high command will give in to their demands.

B S Yeddyurappa crying on TV

State Home Minister Dr V S Acharya, who is camping in New Delhi , told rediff.com that the contentious issues have been sorted out by the high command, but the party is yet to make a formal announcement about the same.

When asked whether senior BJP leaders would cave in to the rebels’ demand of reallocating the Home portfolio, he said, “I don’t think so”.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa broke down while talking about the ongoing crisis in the state, blaming the dissidents for shifting focus from relief work to politics.

“I apologise to the flood victims. When they are facing so many problems, we should not have wasted time on this crisis,” he told Kannada channel Suvarna.

He said the people he had trusted did not support him.

“I should have not been distracted. I hope God will forgive me,” the CM said.

Yeddyurappa admitted that he was forced to accept some demands made by the Reddy brothers like the transfer of Principal Secretary V P Baligar and the likely axing of his trusted minister Shoba Karandlaje.

“For my selfish ends, I was forced to ditch those who were my trusted people. Be it Shoba or Baligar. Even God will not forgive me for this,” he said.

According to the ‘compromise formula’ reportedly adopted by the party, the BJP’s top brass has accepted every demand put forward by the rebel leaders, except their demand for the CM’s removal.

The vetting team:

The party will reportedly constitute a vetting team, comprising senior BJP leaders, which will supervise each and every decision made by the CM. The team will be headed by Arun Jaitley and will comprise senior state leaders including Ananth Kumar and Jagadish Shettar. This committee will scrutinise every decision taken by the CM including the transfer of state officials.

Change of ministers:

The Reddy camp has demanded that Rural Development Minister Shobha Karandlage, Home Minister V S Acharya and Irrigation Minister Basavaraj Bommai be removed from the cabinet. These important portfolios, held by ministers who are considered to be part of Yeddyurappa’s inner coterie, will be handed over to the Reddy faction.

The Reddy faction will also get the lucrative ministries of Industry and PWD. Janardhan Reddy, who holds the tourism portfolio, will become the minister for Large and Medium Industries.

Shettar, who had been portrayed as a chief ministerial candidate by the Reddy faction, will continue as the Speaker of the assembly.

Mid term poll:

The party central leadership has made it clear to the rebels that if they don’t agree to the compromise formula, the state might face mid-term polls, which will not go down well with the voters. The Reddy faction, which is adamant about seeking a leadership change, has been told to either accept the compromise formula or face mid-term polls.

The party leaders have told the Reddy faction that this kind of public squabbling was hurting the party’s reputation.

The party leadership’s stance:

The party top brass has also ignored the resignation letters submitted by the 55 Members of Legislative Assembly on Friday, who are backing the powerful and affluent Reddy brothers. The BJP leadership, which has been ridiculed for its perceived soft stance in dealing with the issue, wants to send out a clear message that they will not be bullied by any faction of the party.

However, unrelenting members of the Reddy faction, who are currently in Bengaluru, will soon head to Delhi to lobby with the party top brass again.

Karnataka: Tug of war continues

B S Yeddyurappa

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday told journalists that the ongoing crisis in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the state had come to an end, and he was headed to the Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu to offer his prayers.

He reiterated that he will continue as the state chief minister and thanked the party’s top leadership for putting their faith in him.

Yeddyurappa stated that he would maintain a cordial relationship with all party Members of Legislative Assembly and will take them into consideration before making any major decision.

But the Karnataka CM refused to divulge the details of the ‘compromise formula’ that has been worked out by the party leaders to solve the crisis. Informed sources said that as per the formula, certain changes will be made in the state cabinet.

However, rebel leader and state Tourism Minister B Janardhan Reddy, who is demanding a change in the state leadership, declared that he had not changed his stance.

Reddy, who has been meeting top party leaders in New Delhi, left for Hyderabad to meet the 55 MLAs backing him, who are currently holed up in a resort.

While updating the MLAs about the latest developments, Reddy told them that the party high command was willing to accept all their demands, but remained adamant that Yeddyurappa would have to continue as the CM. The rebel MLAs reportedly told him that they would abide by the final decision he took about the matter.

Refusing to give up his demand for leadership change, Reddy told reporters after the meeting, “Evil forces have to be wiped out from the state and this is our only demand. The high command will need two more days to resolve the crisis and I am hopeful that they will listen to our version of the story”.

Reddy is expected to visit Bengaluru and then again return to Delhi to continue lobbying for Yeddyurappa’s removal. The BJP’s top brass in expected to meet on Saturday evening to take a final decision on the issue.

Is Shobha Karandlaje bane of Yeddi’s problems?

Since day one, Karnataka Rural Development minister Shobha Karandlaje has been in the eye of a storm. Today, the only woman minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party government is being cited as the main reason for Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa’s problems.

Yeddyurappa will have to take one of the hardest decisions of his political career when he drops Shobha from the ministry in order to save his chair.

But just who is Shobha Karandlage?

Hailing from Puttur in coastal Karnataka, Shobha renounced all pleasures of life and joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh at a very early age. In fact, she is one of the few women ‘purna pramana’ (full-time worker) in the RSS. Full time workers of the RSS sacrifice everything, including family. They also vow that they would never get married.

Shobha Karandlaje and B S Yeddyurappa. Photo courtesy: Dajiworld

Hence, Shobha has always been RSS’s preferred worker. Even when she decided to join politics, the RSS gave her the initial push since they believed that she would not have any business interests and would work selflessely for the party.

Once she entered into active politics in the BJP, she worked alongside Yeddyurappa. She treated him as her godfather. Critics now allege that Yeddyurappa had a soft corner for the 44-year-old, which ensured her growth within the party.

Shobha has always courted controversies. When she was made BJP’s general secretary, there was a major uproar in the party. Several leaders thought that her proximity to Yeddyurappa earned her the position. It was also alleged that she was preferred over several senior leaders. However, the only explanation given at that point of time was that she was a dedicated worker and that the party needed such workers in the state.

The RSS backed Yeddyurappa and ensured that Shobha stayed on the post.

The next round of discontent was witnessed when she was made Member of the Legislative Council in Karnataka in 2006-07. During this period, Yeddyurappa was deputy chief minister in the Janata Dal-Secular-BJP government. Once again, Yeddyurappa managed to scuttle all voices of protest. He never let her down.

Although several allegations have been levelled against the two, Yeddyurappa has always maintained that Shobha is a dedicated worker and that there is nothing beyond that. Shobha too, in her defence, has reiterated that Yeddyurappa is a like a father to her and that allegations of favourtism are baseless.

The biggest issue that the duo confronted was when Yeddyurappa fielded her as candidate from the Yeshwanthpur constituency during the last elections. Despite severe opposition Yeddyurappa went ahead. He had a feather in his cap to take up Shobha’s case when she won the elections convincingly.

There was more opposition when he decided to induct her into the ministry and also gave her the crucial portfolio of Rural Development. However, Yeddyurappa ignored the voices of protest.

The importance of Shobha in the BJP was clear. All one could see during a drive from Mysore to Bangalore are banners with Shobha on it. She has stamped her presence and her message is clear — she is here to stay.

Over time, the voices of opposition continued to grow against Shobha. In particular, the Reddy brothers from Bellary were upset with her. They have, on several occasions, termed her as the de-facto chief minister of the state. Her proximity to Yeddyurappa irked many and there was not a single photograph in any media that did not have the CM and Shobha together.

The faction led by the Reddy brothers even alleged that she influenced Yeddyurappa’s every decision. They claimed that the CM was using her to get back at them. Some bureaucrats in Karnataka, who speak in a hushed tone, say that several times the files meant for the CM went through Shobha.

While all these allegations were being made, the last straw for the Reddy brothers was when she interfered in their portfolio. During a trip to Bellary, Shobha openly conducted a review of the revenue department and is said to have pulled up a lot of officials for apathy.

Karunakar Reddy, one of the Reddy brothers who is the revenue minister, screamed out on roof tops that this was utter interference and she had no business to do so. This is being cited as one of the primary reasons for them to demand the ouster of Shobha from the cabinet.

Yeddyurappa, all through this crisis, did try to fight her case but gave up in the end and decided that he had no option but to remove her in order to save his seat. Shobha too has been very supportive of his decision. When asked about the development, Shobha said she would resign in the interest of the party if she was asked to do so. However, rumour has it that Yeddyurappa plans on accommodating her as the next BJP state chief.

Shobha, according to the BJP, was in an advantageous position compared to the other woman folk in the BJP. The other powerful woman leader, Pramila Nesargi failed to win an election for the second time and hence the party distanced her. While the initial push for Shobha was given by the RSS, it was Yeddyurappa who played a major role in shaping her career.