The former Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa, believes he would be the “natural choice” as the Chief Ministerial candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the next Assembly elections, having been picked to head the State unit two years ahead of polls. He said he was confident of “leading the party to winning 150 seats.”
Speaking to media persons at his Dollars Colony residence in Bengaluru, which was swarming with party leaders from across the State, Mr. Yeddyurappa said people wanted him to head the party in the State and he had been chosen “honouring their sentiments.”
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah have given me the responsibility of strengthening the party in the State, he said. “I have a responsibility to live up to their expectation. They have forgiven me for all my mistakes.”
On whether he was “inevitable” for the party at this juncture, Mr. Yeddyurappa said there were many senior and experienced leaders. “But the Central leadership felt my necessity at the juncture and they thought I can shoulder the responsibility of strengthening the party,” he said.
On his immediate priority, Mr. Yeddyurappa said it was “to free Karnataka from Congress rule.” Mr. Siddaramaiah was working as a “dictator” and focusing on expanding his Cabinet and filling posts in boards and corporations. Despite opposition by senior party leaders, Mr. Siddaramaiah has refused to disband the Anti-Corruption Bureau that he formed overnight, he said.
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“We will all join hands in achieving the goal of bringing the party to power in the State,” he said.
State tour
Mr. Yeddyurappa said he would officially take charge as the State BJP president on April 14 and start touring drought-affected areas from April 23.
Previous tenure as party chief
1989-91
1991-93
1997-99