The former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa declared before the people of his home district that he was determined to quit Bharatiya Janata Party.
Mr. Yeddyurappa had convened a meeting of his well-wishers at PES College, owned by his family members, in the city on Saturday. In the invitation card, Mr. Yeddyurappa had said that the meeting was convened to discuss the issue of development of the district. Mr. Yeddyurappa used the programme as a platform to discuss the factors that led him to take the decision to sever ties with BJP.
He said that the narrow-mindedness of party central leaders forced him to take this decision. “When I was asked to tender resignation for Chief Minister’s post, party National President Nithin Gadkari had said that I would be reinstated in the post soon. The promises have proved false,” he said.
Mr. Yeddyurappa alleged that senior BJP leader L.K. Advani was behind his removal from Chief Minister’s post. “Mr. Advani had the intention to place MP Ananth Kumar in Chief Minister’s post. The leaders of my own party levelled baseless charges against me,” he said.
He also criticised Deputy Chief Minister K.S. Eshwarappa. “Mr. Eshwarappa had alleged that I had used money and caste power during the previous elections. Mr. Eshwarappa should realise that the party won 110 seats in the last Assembly election and 19 seats in the State in the Parliament election not because of money and caste power, but due to the support of the people,” he said.
Mr. Yeddyurappa said that he would again become Chief Minister.
