B. S. Yeddyurappa finally resigns as karnataka CM

B. S. Yeddyurappa finally resigns as karnataka CM

Mtoday news / PTI

Bangalore, July 31: Ending a three-day standoff with BJP central leadership, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today submitted his resignation to the Governor following his indictment in illegal mining scam by the Lokayukta, saying that he has been accused unfairly.

 

 

Amid high-voltage drama, Yeddyurappa walked to the Raj Bhavan along with ministers and over 60 MLAs loyal to him and handed over the resignation letter to Governor H R Bhardwaj after a 38-month tumultuous stint in office.

Emerging out of Raj Bhavan, Yeddyurappa announced that he had stepped down from the Chief Ministership "without any hesitation" bowing to the central leadership’s directive.

"As a disciplines soldier of the party, bowing to the decision of party leadership, I have stepped down from the position of CM," he said, adding, "I have been accused unfairly".

Yeddyurappa said he was bowing to the directive of party seniors and stepping down as the chief minister "without any hesitation".

"No sacrifice is above party," said Yeddyurappa, who remained defiant and kept the party in suspense till the last minute demanding that the high command announce a successor of his choice before he put in his papers.

He said though his government worked sincerely to preserve the natural resources, accusations had been made against him, apparently referring to illegal mining on which Lokayukta Santosh Hegde had indicted him in his report, triggering a political storm.

The Governor accepted the resignation of Yeddyurappa and asked him to continue till alternative arrangements are made, a Raj Bhavan communique said.

The day’s drama unfolded with Yeddyurappa faxing his resignation letter to BJP president Nitin Gadkari, easing some anxiety of the central leadership which was on tenterhooks all the three days.

Yeddyurappa, who was instrumental in bringing the first ever BJP rule in the South, resorted to a show of strength again today when he was accompanied by a large number of MLAs and ministers when he walked from his Race Course residence to Raj Bhavan.

Tension mounted in the BJP camp for the third successive day as party emissaries Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh struggled to break the logjam as Yeddyurappa, an influential leader of the Lingayat community, stuck to his guns on the issue of his successor.

Yeddyurappa favoured Udupi-Chikmagalur MP, D V Sadananda Gowda to succeed him and conveyed his wish to the party leaders, but the stand-off persisted as speculation was rife that his bete-noire and BJP national general secretary H N Ananth Kumar’s name was also being considered.

Singh and Jaitley continued consultations with party top leaders including state unit president K S Eswarappa, Ananth Kumar and legislators to find a successor and ensure a smooth leadership change.

Hours before submitting his resignation, an emotional Yeddyurappa said he is leaving the office "happily" without being hurt and saw it as an opportunity to work "freely" to strengthen the party.

His voice choking, Yeddyurappa said at a function that as chief minister he felt that his hands and legs had been tied and he had to discharge his duties from Vidhan Soudha (state secretariat) within "limitations".

Yeddyurappa said there is no need for anybody to feel that he was hurt and declared that he is "quitting happily and with satisfaction".

Vowing to work for strengthening the party in the state, the 68-year-old leader said the "wish of the people is that BJP should continue to be in power for the next 15-20 years".

He added that he would work towards realising the aim of the party win 150 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the next elections.
"What’s the crime I committed? Iron ore wealth should not be looted...," he said.

Sadananda Gowda is BSY’s choice for Karnataka CM


Bangalore: Former state BJP President DV Sadananda Gowda on Sunday appeared to emerge as key contender to succeed Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, who is believed to have suggested his name to the central leadership. According to party sources, Yeddyurappa is slated to tender his resignation to the Governor HR Bhardwaj any time after 1 pm on Sunday, after which his successor is to be elected at a legislature party meeting.

The list of chief ministerial probables included ministers VS Acharya, Jagadish Shettar and Shobha Karandlaje and party general secretary HN Ananthkumar, but Gowda seems to be ahead of the other contenders, the sources said.

Yeddyurappa met party observers Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh and was closetted with them for some time. "In Karnataka BJP, brighter days would come ith ’Shravana" month starting today," said Gowda, a Lok Sabha member.


It was under Gowda as the state unit President that the BJP rode to power in 2008. The "sympathy factor" after JDS refused to "transfer" power to the BJP under a coalition government helped the latter in no small measure, as also projecting Yeddyurappa, who built the party from scratch over three decades, as the Chief Ministerial candidate.

Meanwhile, the MLAs lobbying for continuation of Yeddyurappa as Chief Minister have admitted that their efforts have not succeeded, but insisted they would stand-by him and push for his nominee as the successor.

Yeddyurappa’s camp is pushing for making him the state unit president, who would have a key role in distribution of ticket in the next elections, due in May 2013.

Sources in the central BJP, for whom the script didn’t go as per plan as Yeddyurappa flexed his muscle in the legislature party for the last three days, said as a Chief Minister, there is nothing wrong in his giving "suggestions" on his successor.