Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader BS Yediyurappa said he is resigning as Karnataka Chief Minister on July 26, the day his government completed two years in office”I have decided to resign. I will meet the Governor after lunch: Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa at a programme to mark the celebration of 2 years of his government, news agency ANI reported.
I have decided to resign. I will meet the Governor after lunch: Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa at a programme to mark the celebration of 2 years of his govt
Yediyurappa’s replacement was suggested by the party leadership during Yediyurappa’s recent visit to New Delhi, according to the sources.
Four-term Karnataka CM Yediyurappa, 78, had, however, denied a leadership change after his return to Karnataka from New Delhi. But an audio clip leaked on July 18 had led to political buzz again on the leadership issue. He, however, kept people guessing on July 25 by hinting that he was waiting for a word from BJP’s central leadership in Delhi.
Amid speculations about change in guard in Karnataka, state minister Murugesh Nirani arrived in the national capital on July 25 to meet BJP leaders, according to the news agency PTI
Sources said Yediyurappa has been asked to go by the party’s high command over his age, health concerns, and the need for an image makeover for the BJP government. He also faces allegations of corruption leveled against his family members.
“Tomorrow morning, there will be an event to mark the second anniversary of the government. I would be talking about our achievements over the last two years at the event. After that what happens, you will come to know,” he said on July 25.
The central leadership, sources said, hopes that Yediyurappa will not create any hurdles for the party this time unlike in 2012 when he severed links with the BJP to float the Karnataka Janata Paksha.
On July 25, BJP president J P Nadda praised Yediyurappa and dismissed suggestions of a crisis in Karnataka. “He (Yediyurappa) has done good work. Karnataka is running well. Yediyurappaji is handling things in his own way,” Nadda said in Goa.
But Yediyurappa said that Nadda’s words of appreciation for his government were not linked to his decision to resign.
Yediyurappa has been CM of Karnataka for four terms. He was forced to quit as CM in 2011 after serving since 2008 when the Karnataka Lokayukta named him in a report on illegal mining in the state. He was also prosecuted by the CBI but the case was quashed by a sessions court in Bengaluru. He has been the CM for a week in 2007 and for three days in 2018.
In the outgoing stint, Yediyurappa took oath as the 31st CM of Karnataka on July 26, 2019, three days after the collapse of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in the state.