Yeddyurappa downplays Advani's remark

Bangalore: Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, facing corruption charges on Monday played down senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani's comment that he was not happy with developments in Karnataka.

"As a senior leader of our party, he has made suggestions in the interest of the party and the government in the state. I will try to improve the image of my government and the party unit in the state within three months," he told reporters in Bangalore.

Advani has been critical of developments in Karnataka where the BJP is ruling for the first time, while praising the work of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) governments in other states.

"I am not happy with what is happening in Karnataka. I have told the party and him (Yeddyurappa)," Advani told reporters in Chennai on Sunday, responding to questions on complaints of corruption against the BJP government in Karnataka.

"As regards other states ruled by the BJP or NDA, people who have visited them have commented their performance was exemplary," he said.

Yeddyurappa said he would "refurbish the image of government and also the party within three months".

Karnataka assembly condemns crackdown on Ramdev

The Karnataka assembly, which has been boycotted by the entire opposition, on Monday condemned Saturday night's police action at Delhi's Ramlila Ground to break up the anti-graft fast by yoga guru Ramdev and his supporters.

A resolution condemning the police action and demanding a high level probe into it was moved by Labour Minister BN Bachche Gowda.

Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and state BJP president KS Eshwarappa spoke on the resolution attacking the central government for "using inhuman force to break the peaceful protest against corruption and black money".

The show was a ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) affair as Congress and Janata Dal-Secular have boycotted the 10-day session that began June 2 seeking resignation of Speaker KG Bopaiah who has been criticized by the Supreme Court over disqualification of 16 rebel lawmakers in October 2010.

The two opposition parties have rejected appeals by Yeddyurappa and other BJP leaders to attend the session that is to pass the state budget for 2011-12.

The BJP also organized protests in Bangalore and at several places in the state late Sunday and Monday to protest the police action against Ramdev.