Yeddyurappa to remain CM

Continuance to depend on performance in ZP, TP polls

The four-day suspense over Yeddyurappa’s fate ended on Wednesday with BJP President Nitin Gadkari making a statement that the chief minister would continue in office. The statement followed an hour-long meeting between the two leaders.

Noting that “an environment of uncertainty had been created in Karnataka during the past few days due to several allegations made against the chief minister,” Gadkari said Yeddyurappa had denied all charges.

Appealing to all state party leaders to work in unison in view of the coming panchayat elections, Gadkari referred to the  judicial inquiry which the chief minister had ordered into various corruption charges.

 Gadkari would look into any allegation directed against Yeddyurappa. The chief minister, who had a two-hour meeting with Gadkari on Tuesday night, was said to have readily accepted certain conditions put by the leadership to retain his chair.

According to party sources, his continuance will depend on the performance of the party in the coming zilla and taluk panchayat elections.

Besides, the party has asked the chief minister to keep his controversial family members away from his official work and overhaul the operations of his office by removing some “questionable” staff.

Senior party leader Arun Jaitley, who encountered a volley of questions from the media at a press briefing, said: “We are in the process of taking the final view (on Yeddyurappa’s leadership). Various factors were taken into consideration. The state is in the middle of a local election.”

Quizzed further on this issue, he argued that former telecom minister A Raja had continued for two years even after facing corruption charges.

The party’s dilly-dallying over Yeddyurappa lasted three days after he landed in Delhi on being summoned by the party bosses. The chief minister remained defiant even as the party had virtually asked him to put in the papers.

Community support

With support from the Lingayat community, party MLAs and MPs besides the eventuality of forthcoming local polls, the chief minister has yet again staved off demands for his ouster.

Speaking to reporters before leaving for Bangalore, Yeddyurappa said: “Senior party leaders L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley have given their blessings to me. Zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat elections are around the corner. We will have to work towards that and ensure a resounding victory. We will concentrate on development.”