BSY, loyalists eye fresh bid for comeback

HC verdict gives impetus to their demand

A day after the Karnataka High Court quashed a case against him in an illegal mining case, BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa and his followers on Thursday turned their focus on the March 11 convention in Hubli, billed as a show of strength by the former chief minister.

Yeddyurappa’s loyalists want to double up the convention, to mark his 69th birthday celebrations, as a “Vijayotsava” for their leader. They held preparatory meetings through the day to work out the logistics for the convention. Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, BJP State president K S Eshwarappa and even party national president Nitin Gadkari have been invited to the convention in which more than one lakh people are expected to attend.

On his part, Yeddyurappa, who lost no time in setting the central leadership a 24-hour deadline to reinstate him as chief minister, was more practical on Thursday.

“I have come clean of the charges against me. It is for the central leadership to take a decision at an appropriate time. I have told my supporters to be patient and not to make any statements that would create more confusion,” Yeddyurappa told reporters in Bangalore.

CM’s statement

But it is said that he is cut up with Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda over his statement in the media that Yeddyurappa was still facing many more cases in courts.

But Gowda claimed he never made any statement that would hurt Yeddyurappa. Replying to questions by the media, Gowda said it was for the BJP central leadership to decide on the future of his predecessor. He stuck to his statement made in Mumbai on Wednesday that there were several cases pending against Yeddyurappa. “When the media asked me about the pending cases against Yeddyurappa, I had said there were several more cases and the law would take its own course,” Gowda said.

Gowda said he would not like to comment on the issue of Yeddyurappa’s reinstatement.

“I do not wish to speak on the leadership issue. Our national president Nitin Gadkari had categorically asked us to not discuss the issue during his visit to Bangalore recently. We are bound by his instructions,” Gowda said.

According to sources close to Yeddyurappa, the BJP leader has realised that he would have to give central leaders some breathing time, before going aggressive.

Gadkari had reportedly told Yeddyurappa during a recent meeting that notwithstanding other cases, he just needs to come clean on his indictment in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining.

The high court on Wednesday had struck down a portion of the Lokayukta’s findings on illegal mining indicting Yeddyurappa.

Yeddyurappa reportedly told his supporters that Gadkari will have to fulfil his word, or face the embarrassment of breach of promise. In effect, Yeddyurappa has put the ball in Gadkari’s court. 

“I will not go Delhi. The central leadership’s stand that I should come clean of charges has been met. It is for the central leadership to take a decision,” Yeddyurappa told reporters.

Yeddyurappa remained closeted with his followers through the day even as his loyalists held parleys on the strategies to be adopted if the central leadership fails to respond to their leader’s demand by March 11.