Attacking Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in the wake of the Lokayukta indicting him on the illegal mining issue, Left parties on Thursday demanded his resignation, saying the BJP leader has no moral authority to continue in his office.
“It’s a very serious indictment and I think during this serious indictment the Chief Minister should not continue in his office,” Rajya Sabha member and CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.
Asked about developments in Karnataka, Mr. Yechury said, “We have been saying this earlier, and now our apprehensions have been proved by the Lokayukta’s report. I think there is no moral authority left in the Karnataka Chief Minister to continue in his office.”
Asking BJP to take a firm stand, Mr. Yechury said, “We hope the BJP will take this decision, because otherwise its credibility in the fight against corruption is also very severely compromised.”
In Karnataka, the state Lokayukta Justice Santosh N. Hegde on Thursday said he has given “substantive” and “voluminous” evidence against Mr. Yeddyurappa in illegal mining scam which has cost the state exchequer Rs. 1,800 crore in a period of 14 months.
Terming the illegal mining scam as a “huge racket”, Mr. Hegde said, “In the time period of 14 months, it is more than Rs. 1,800 crore. The time period is between March 2009 and May 2010. It is loss to the state exchequer”.
