Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa has been asked to step down after July 26, the day, the ruling BJP government will complete its second year in office in the State, sources said here on Saturday July 17.
Yediyurappa’s demand for two months’ time to contemplate stepping down, has been categorically rejected by the BJP high command, they added.
While the Party has offered the post of deputy chief minister to his son B.Y. Vijayendra, Yediyurappa has apparently been insisting on the post of the State Party President for him.
The calculation is to go to the assembly elections under his son’s leadership, thus making Vijayendra the natural choice for the CM post. However, the BJP high command is insisting that things should happen as per the party’s decisions, not by the conditions laid down by CM Yediyurappa.
The high command is keen on giving an honourable exit to Yediyurappa but at the same time, the party wants to take its own decisions in connection with its prospects in the State.
It is to be recalled that, Yediyurappa had defied the party top brass openly and split away to form his own party, KJP in 2012, ensuring the defeat of the BJP in the State polls of 2014. The BJP had to give a red-carpet welcome to him later before assuming power in the state.
“These are all rumours,” says Yediyurappa on his resignation
Amid rumours of his resignation, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Saturday said it is not true at all.
On Friday, Yediyurappa arrived in Delhi for two days’ visit and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the same day. After meeting with the Prime Minister, there was speculation that he has offered to resign.
When asked about change of guard in Karnataka ahead of his meeting with BJP Chief J. P. Nadda on Saturday, Yediyurappa termed it rumours and said, “These are all rumours. Yesterday I met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed about development of the State. I am coming back to Delhi in the first week of the next month. There is no value for such news.”
When asked, has he resigned? Yediyurappa said, “Not at all, not at all.”
Today, Yediyurappa also met BJP chief Nadda and after the meeting once again denied any talk of his resignation. He will also be meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Sources in the saffron camp, however, said that Yediyurappa has offered to resign and his days in office are numbered.
On Friday after meeting Prime Minister, Yediyurappa, however, had said that he is not aware of a change of leadership in the state.
“I don’t know about it. You (media) must tell me,” Yediyurappa had said.
Karnataka chief minister’s visit to New Delhi came in the backdrop of growing voices against him in the state unit. “There are lots of opposition within the party against the Chief Minister and the issue is likely to be discussed in the meeting between Yediyurappa and central leadership. There are words doing the rounds that change of leadership is likely to take place in Karnataka,” a party functionary said.
Recently, BJP National General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge, Arun Singh had visited the State and had met party’s MLAs. Singh had said that the Chief Minister had the support of the party leadership and the Yediyurappa government is doing good work.
