The former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has said that the BJP high command has not given any assurance on his demand for reinstatement as Chief Minister.
“I am confident that it will take an appropriate decision at an appropriate time,” he said.
Mr. Yeddyurappa, who arrived by a helicopter to participate in a mass marriage function at Naribol in Jewargi taluk in Gulbarga district on Monday, told presspersons here on Sunday that during his recent visit to New Delhi, he had apprised party leaders about the Karnataka High Court judgment quashing the FIR filed in the illegal mining case.
“At that time, party senior leaders asked me to step down as it would be difficult for them to face Parliament, and gave an assurance that if the cases against me were quashed I would be reinstated as Chief Minister,” he said.
To a question, he said: “Even in my dreams I would not think of leaving the party which had given me everything. I will remain in the party whether I am given any post or not.”
In response to another question, the former Chief Minister said that internal bickering in the BJP had not affected development in the State.
‘A shock ’
Mr. Yeddyurappa said the results of the Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha byelection had come as a shock.
“Except for me, all the other senior leaders campaigned,” he said, added that this was the first election where he did not campaign. “I feel bad…but I cannot be held responsible for the defeat of the BJP candidate,” the former Chief Minister said.
Mr. Yeddyurappa said it was the prerogative of Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda to expand the Cabinet and that he need not consult him (Mr. Yeddyurappa) while undertaking the exercise.
Referring to the statement of the Chief Minister that he would expand the Ministry after the budget session of the legislature, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that except for consulting the party high command, he need not consult anyone else.
Asked if there was a proposal to make him president of the BJP State unit, Mr. Yeddyurappa said nobody had made such an offer. “I do not need any position to campaign for the party and to strengthen it further.”
