Leadership issue not discussed: Yeddyurappa

HUBLI - Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Saturday said he had apprised the BJP core committee meeting in Delhi of the developments in Karnataka and, "during the discussion, there was no mention of a change in leadership."

Mr. Yeddyurappa, who flew down to Hubli from New Delhi en route to Bijapur district, told journalists at the airport that his 'mission' from now would be to annihilate the Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka. He would reveal the "true colours" of that party's leader Deve Gowda and his sons. The government would include in the judicial inquiry, to be conducted by a former Supreme Court judge, the alleged irregularities committed in awarding work contracts during Mr. Gowda's tenure as Chief Minister, Mr. Yeddyurappa said.

The judicial probe has been constituted by the Yeddyurappa government to look into irregularities in denotification of land and allotment of G category sites.

Within two days a former Supreme Court judge would be appointed and he would be given six months to submit his report.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said that like his family members most of the MLAs and MPs had been awarded sites under the G category and land from KIADB. "Although they haven't got it by unfair means, my family members on their own have decided to hand it back to the government to prevent embarrassment to me."

Alleging that Mr. Gowda was trying to topple his government, Mr. Yeddyurappa said the former Prime Minister had told some BJP MPs from the State that he would extend cooperation to allow the BJP government to continue if they changed the leadership in Karnataka.

Talking emotionally, he said: "Even if 10 such Deve Gowdas come, they can't overthrow Yeddyurappa. I will continue as Chief Minister for the remaining term of the government." He would see to it that only the Congress and the BJP remained in the fray in the State politics.

"I will again go back to New Delhi on Monday with all the documents that tell about Mr. Gowda and his sons' misdeeds. I will apprise the party MPs of it and they will in turn raise the issue in Parliament."

Mr. Yeddyurappa said the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, which itself was caught in multicrore scams, was trying to magnify the allegations against him to divert attention and save its face.

The Chief Minister said he had never indulged in the 'Delhi politics' of making good use of the good rapport with the party leadership. "But here afterwards I will also do it."

To a query, Mr. Yeddyurappa said there was nothing wrong in one dreaming about one becoming Chief Minister. "But let them take the leadership during the elections. Let them get elected by the people as their leader and then stake claim for the post."
Photo : Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa speaks to the media at the Hubli airport on Saturday. Photo: Kiran Bakale

SourceL The HIndu , Nov 21,2010