With the Karnataka High Court clearing the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa of corruption charges against him in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining, the party leadership may consider the possibility of reappointing him Chief Minister.
“Now that he has got a strong case in his favour, the leadership has no choice but to reappoint him Chief Minister since the party had taken the stand that he could not be reinstated till he was cleared of the charges against him,” high placed sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said. The BJP high command has to take a call on the matter. According to a party leader, the high command may take a decision on the issue by Saturday.
“The indictment in the Lokayukta report was the main reason for the party asking Mr. Yeddyurappa to relinquish the chief ministerial post on July 31, 2011. But with the Karnataka High Court giving him a clean chit in that case, his claim cannot be ignored though there are still apprehensions about the corruption charges and their impact on the party's image,” sources said. But will the party wait for the Supreme Court verdict if the High Court order is challenged?
To this query, BJP sources said the party would not wait for the disposal of the appeal as there were instances of appeals being filed against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in various cases.
But we will take cognisance only if the apex court rules against him, they said.
Though there are several other serious cases against Mr. Yeddyurappa related to corruption, the party is learnt to have decided to ignore them till they come to a “decisive stage” as they are not based on any inquiry report by a constitutional body like the Lokayukta.
The only hitch for Mr. Yeddyurappa is the fact that the Supreme Court has asked the Central Empowered Committee to convey its views on whether a CBI inquiry is needed into allegations of the involvement of Mr. Yeddyurappa and his family members in illegal mining.
“We will not wait for the CEC to submit its report for taking a decision on Mr. Yeddyurappa's future. But if the CEC submits its report with serious implications before we make a decision, we will consider it,” sources noted.
