Need only public backing to become CM again: Yeddyurappa

Senior BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa today said he did not need the support of party central leadership but only required public backing to become chief minister once again.

"I don't need the support of party central leadership but require only public backing to become chief minister once again," he said at a public rally at Hirekerur, 30 km from here.

Yeddyurappa said if he became CM again, he would make Karnataka a model state in the country, adding, "some leaders within the party conspired against me to bring me down from the chief minister's post".

Referring to 'Operation Lotus' launched to increase the BJP strength in the Assembly, Yeddyurappa said the party resorted to it for the welfare of the state.

"Without Operation Lotus, BJP would have lost. JDS or Congress would have ruled the state which could have not augured well for the state," he added.