Karnataka crisis dented party's image: Venkaiah

Hyderabad: Admitting that the Bharatiya Janata Party's image had been dented because of the 14-day-long crisis in the ruling party in Karnataka, BJP senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu today said the party central leadership was closely monitoring the situation in the state and had put in place a mechanism to avert such a crisis in the future.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Naidu, who was also involved in the process of settling the differences between the loyalists and the dissidents in the ruling BJP in Karnataka, said ''I am totally unhappy with whatever happened in those 14 days. We have the capacity and stamina to move forward.'' To a question, he said there was no crisis in the party any longer. Everything had been resolved and Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa would continue, he added.

On the other hand, there was a crisis in the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh, he said, adding it was not in a position to convene the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting even to condole the death of late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. ''Even some state ministers have refused to work,'' he added.

He parried a question on how Karnataka Tourism Minister G Janardhan Reddy was continuing in the BJP ministry in Karnataka evenwhile enjoying the support of Congress leaders in Andhra Pradesh.