From our special correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Jul 26: Ending the suspense over his tenure, an emotionally charged Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday announced his resignation from the post, on the day he completed two years in office.
The 78-year-old Lingayat leader, who became Chief Minister of the State in July 2019 after 17 MLAs belonging to Congress and JD(S), brought down the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition government by resigning from their respective parties.
Yediyurappa is expected to formally hand over his resignation letter to Governor Tavarchand Ghehlot later in the afternoon.
"I have decided to go to Raj Bhavan after lunch and hand over my resignation. This is not out of sadness but out of happiness," Yediyurappa announced at the end of his speech at a function here marking his two years in office.
In an emotional speech during which he broke down a few times, the veteran leader, announced his decision as the pressure mounted by over 100 Lingayat seers from several mutts across the State to allow their trusted community leader to continue in office till the end of the present term of office in 2023.
"I am thankful to the party high command. I am thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for having allowing me to be in office for two years despite the rule of no power for those above 75 years," he said.
While in the earlier stint, he had resigned under cloud of corruption charges, this time too he had been accused of corruption, nepotism and mishandling of COVID 19 situation.
"I had to face a lot of challenges when I formed the government. The high command did not allow me to form the cabinet for one and a half months despite unprecedented floods and rains in Karnataka. I had to single-handedly roam all over the State like a mad man. Last one and a half years, I had been fighting with the COVID 19."
During his long speech at the Banquet Hall in Vidhan Soudha, he recalled the growth of BJP in Karnataka and the efforts that he put in it. He also recalled of going around for the party work on a bicycle.