Efforts to retain me in BJP a conspiracy: Yeddyurappa

Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has allayed apprehensions about the launch of his party, scheduled for December 10 in the city.

He was addressing a press conference after inspecting the venue for the December 10 event. The former chief minister dismissed reports that he was threatening to launch a party as a tactic to get a key position in the BJP.

Yeddyurappa said it was not inevitable for him to resort to such tactics and that he had
moved away a long distance from the BJP. He said some leaders in the BJP were making futile attempts to retain him in the party.

Yeddyurappa said these efforts were part of a conspiracy to project him as a villain. He made it clear that he would not force any leader to join the new party. He said he would like 70 of his ministers and MLAs to attend the Haveri convention.

But, discussions were on about the ways to offset the repercussions if his supporters took part in the meeting, he said. Reiterating that the BJP government led by Jagadish Shettar would complete its term, the former chief minister said his supporters would have to don a ‘double role’ till the completion of the government’s tenure.

His supporters would also have to focus on organising the new party, Yeddyurappa said. He has called upon his fans to pack food with them, while coming for the rally.

Gadkari criticised

Yeddyurappa attacked BJP national president Nitin Gadkari, saying the latter had gone back on his promise to make him the chief of the Karnataka unit of the party within 24 hours of resigning as chief minister.

Addressing a preparatory meeting of the party launch, he said that a regional party was the need of the hour in Karnataka, given that regional parties had brought about development in neighbouring states.