Bangalore: Yeddyurappa Hopeful of Being Reinstated
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Dec 16: In less than four months after being forced to quit by the BJP high command over the illegal mining report submitted by the former Lokayukta Justice N Santhosh Hegde and subsequently made to undergo almost three weeks of prison term, dethroned Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa is hopeful of being reinstated soon in the coveted post that he had to relinquish.
Yeddyurappa, who had returned to the State from New Delhi after his three-day stay during which he called on several Central party leaders, BJP national President Nitin Gadkari and senior leader L K Advani, described the visit to the national capital as ''fruitful,”
“The matter (of reinstating as CM) is discussed at the Central party level,” he told reporters here on Friday.
Yeddyurappa, who quit the Chief Minister on July 31 in the wake of being indicted by Justice Hegde in the illegal mining, expressed confidence that he would clear his name in all the cases foisted against him.
Refusing to react on the demands made by the State MPs to the party leadership about his reinstatement as the Chief Minister, Yeddyurappa said the party high command would take a decision on the issue soon.
''The MPs have expressed their views and voiced their demands before the party’s high command. It is for the national leadership to decide,” he said.
Answering questions on the speculation in the media and in the political circles regarding his plans to quit the BJP and form his own regional party, Yeddyurappa said: ''There is no question of quitting the BJP.”
He termed ''rubbish” all speculations in the media about quitting the party and asserted that he had convinced the party leadership that he had been made a victim of the political conspiracy which led to demit the office of the Chief Minister.
Asked about the reports suggesting that he had bargained with the central party leaders to get reinstated as the Chief Minister, Yeddyurappa said that ''there is a feeling which is gaining momentum in the party circles on the issue.”
''My immediate target is to ensure victory of Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda in the Council by-election due on December 22,” he said.
However, Yeddyurappa claimed that he was keen to strengthen and rebuild the party organization at all levels and ensure that the party was able to win 150 seats in the next round of Assembly polls.