From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Updated
Bengaluru, Jun 6: Opening up for the first time on the question of leadership change in the State in the backdrop of many BJP leaders openly speculating on his imminent removal, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday asserted that he will continue in his post as long as he has the backing of BJP high command and offered to quit the moment they do not want him.
"I am not worried about the political speculation about leadership change. I will continue as long as the high command has confidence in me. The day I’m told they don’t want me, I’ll resign and do my work for the development of the State," he said on being asked about the speculation over his replacement.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, the 78-year-old Lingayat community strongman said: "I am in no confusion. I have been given an opportunity to lead the party and serve the State. I am trying my best to utilize the opportunity for the betterment of the State. I will abide by whatever the high command decides."
Answering questions, Yediyurappa said he was not interested in criticizing anybody for speaking against him or talking about the change in leadership. "It is left to the party high command to look into this and they will take appropriate decision at the right time. I don’t want to criticize anybody," he said making it clear that he does not agree there is no alternate leadership.
"There will always be alternate persons in the State and the country. So I won't agree that there are no alternate persons in Karnataka. But till the high command has confidence in me, I will continue as the Chief Minister," he declared.
Dissidence in BJP
It may be mentioned that senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal was the first to speak against Yediyurappa and openly claim that the BJP high command was likely to replace him. However, Yatnal’s claims did not materialize and the party even issued a show cause notice. But nothing happened after that. Mysuru MLA and one of the key leaders among the 17 JD(S)-Congress legislators, who brought down the H D Kumaraswamy-led Congress-JD(S) coalition regime, Adaguru H Vishwanath, who is now an MLC, also openly criticized Yediyurappa.
Yediyurappa’s one-time close buddy and backward class Kuruba community leader from the same Shivamogga district K S Eshwarappa went a step further alleging interference of the Chief Minister’s son and State BJP Vice President B Y Vijayendra in his Rural Development and Panchayat Raj portfolio and surprisingly shot of the letter to State Governor Vajubhai Vala.
More recently, State Tourism and Environment Minister C P Yogeshwar, who played a key role in bringing down the Kumaraswamy government and propping up Yediyurappa as Chief Minister, recently dashed off to Delhi to meet BJP national leaders along with Dharwad West MLA Aravind Bellad to lodge complaints against the Yediyurappa government and Vijayendra’s role in its functioning. Though the BJP high command reportedly did not meet Yogeshwar and Bellad, the Tourism Minister openly criticized the BJP government and made a veiled attack against Vijayendra without naming him.
State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel, Revenue Minister R Ashok, Mining and Geology Minister Murugesh R Nirani and many other ministers have strongly rallied behind Yediyurappa and asserted that he will continue in office for the entire term. Even Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Coal Prahlad Joshi has also supported Yediyurappa and said he will complete the term.
Amidst these open dissident activities, Vijayendra had recently rushed to Delhi to meet BJP national president J P Nadda and party in charge Arun Singh demanding that the dissidents must be put in their place by taking strong disciplinary action.
CM pays homage to Urs
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister paid homage to former Chief Minister D Devaraj Urs by garlanding his statue in front of Vidhana Soudha to mark his 39th death anniversary.
Muzrai and Fisheries Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary and other BJP leaders accompanied the Chief Minister.