The state of flux over the speculation about replacement of Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa continued till late evening on Sunday with the awaited message from the BJP high command not forthcoming.
Yediyurappa had said that he was expecting a call from the high command on July 25 (Sunday) and he would resign on July 26 (Monday) if the party leadership asks him to step down.
Navjot Singh Sidhu bats on front foot at photo-op with CM Amarinder
He said on Sunday that he would take a decision on his own if there is no message from the high command on Monday.
As he completes two years in the office on Monday, the chief minister had hinted on quitting after the event organised to mark the occasion and he would await for the high command’s advice on it. He had said the message was expected at 5pm on Sunday.
“I have not received any message till now. It may come tonight or tomorrow morning. I will continue, if they ask me to continue as the chief minister or if they ask me to step down, then I will resign and start working for the party,” Yediyurappa told reporters at around 6pm after returning to Bengaluru from Belagavi where he visited rain-hit areas.
Replying to a query on the possibility of him meeting governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on Monday afternoon as his itinerary said the time slot is reserved, Yediyurappa said: “ I will take part in the event to mark the second year completion of my government and speak about our achievements. And later you will know about the ensuing developments.”
He had said in Belagavi that he wanted to visit the rain-hit Karwar taluk in Uttara Kannada district on Monday. He said in the evening in Bengaluru that he still wanted to visit Karwar and he will decide on it on Monday.
“I want to work as the chief minister till the last minute. I had made clear about two months ago that I will resign when the high command asks for it. Now also I am reiterating it,” he said.
Shilpa Rao & Yasser Desai’s soulful vocals enthrall in the 3rd Season of Bhushan Kumar’ T -Series’ MixTape Rewind, presented by Amazon Prime Music!
Meanwhile, BJP national president JP Nadda, who was in Goa for the party executive, said at a press conference: “Yediyurappa has done a good job and it is smooth going there in Karnataka. Yediyurappa is handling all issues deftly.” Replying to a question he said that the reporter might be seeing a political crisis in Karnataka but he didn't.
However, speculations continued with the continuation of suspense. Union minister for law and parliamentary affairs minister Prahalad Joshi, whose name has prominently cropped as the replacement for Yediyurappa, arrived in Bengaluru from Dharwad on Sunday and cancelled his flight ticket to New Delhi. While this has fueled the speculation further, mines and geology minister Murgush Nirani, another contender for the CM post, arrived in the national capital.
BJP national general secretary CT Ravi, who has been identified among the dissidents, said in Goa that the party had given all kinds of opportunities to Yediyurappa and there are many deserving candidates in BJP, obliquely suggesting the CM to step down.
0 Comments