After nearly being sacked last week, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa now feels that the “crisis” for him is over and he would complete the remaining two-and-a-half-year term as he has the “blessings” of BJP leadership.
Mr. Yeddyurappa, 67, insisted that the reports about his being on lease of life till Panchayat elections likely this month were wrong.
“I will complete the remaining two-and-a-half-year term with the blessings of all India leaders. (There is) no doubt in that,” Mr. Yeddyurappa told PTI in an interview.
He said he had explained everything to the top party leaders and they were “happy”.
Asked whether he implied that “crisis” for him was over, he replied in the affirmative.
But did the thought of quitting ever cross his mind during the peak of attack on him, with even BJP being dragged in. “You believe it or not, no one asked me to resign and I never thought about it,” he responded.
Mr. Yeddyurappa’s comments came after he met top party leaders including L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh and M M Joshi yesterday and apprised them about his version of the story relating to the controversial allotment of land to his sons and daughter.
The opposition has been gunning for his removal, alleging that the land was allotted in an improper manner.
“They (BJP leaders) know everything, whatever happened in the last 15 days and JD(S) friends’ intention to create so many problems,” Mr. Yeddyurappa said, apparently suggesting that the Opposition party was responsible for triggering a controversy over denotification of some expensive plots of land to favour his children.
Mr. Yeddyurappa was almost on the brink of being removed last week over allegations of irregularities but the BJP leadership reportedly gave him a breather, apparently to prevent any adverse impact on the party’s prospects during the upcoming Panchayat polls.
“It is incorrect,” he said when referred to reports that he had been given a lease of life only till Panchayat polls.
Mr. Yeddyurappa said he told the party leaders “everything, about the loot of the State during the tenure of (JD(S) leaders) H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy and how they distributed land to their relatives.”
On the allegations of irregularities against him, he has decided to go on a counter-offensive against the Opposition and challenged them to “come out openly” with proof of any wrongdoing he had committed.
Claiming that he had done no wrong, the Chief Minister said he had ordered a judicial enquiry on the allegations against him as well as other cases that go as back as 1995.
Queried what message he was carrying from the BJP leadership, the Chief Minister said they had advised him to perform well in the State, where he led the party to power for the first time in a South Indian State.
“They advised me that there must be a very good governance in future and (the party’s future) in entire south and neighbouring States depends upon (the performance) in Karnataka,” he said.
