Bengaluru/Hubballi, June 8 (TIWN) A day after Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa's startling statement on his resignation, several ministers of his cabinet rallied behind him with Revenue Minister R. Ashoka stating that anyone in the party who tries to malign the party or leadership will be dealt with sternly.

Ashoka said that the party had already constituted a committee composed of BJP state president Nalinkmar Kateel, Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa, BJP national general secretary, Arun Singh and three prominent leaders belonging to different regions of the state.  "This committee's main responsibility is to stem the indiscipline," he said and added that the party state president Kateel has already issued instructions to all in the party not to speak against the party or its leadership.  Industries minister Jagadish Shettar told reporters in Hubballi that repeated statements with regard to a change of leadership by our party leaders is not only causing an embarrassment but also damaging the party's reputation. "At a time of crisis like Covid, leaders must refrain from making statements about leadership change. Repeated statements by our party leaders is leading to confusion among the bureaucracy as well as in the party itself. Therefore, I appeal to party leaders not to raise such issues anymore," he said.