BANGALORE: With the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday giving him clean chit on all charges levelled against him in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has stepped up his efforts to return to power.
The High Court verdict has come as a shot in the arm for the beleaguered Lingayat leader who was sulking after the party high command flatly refused to give him any post till he comes clean of all charges.
Now that Yeddyurappa’s name has been cleared, the high command will be under pressure to clear its stand on the former.
As soon as the HC announced the verdict in their favour on Wednesday, the Yeddyurappa supporters swung into action and faxed the copies of the order to BJP national president Nitin Gadkari, opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and others. Along with the order, they have also sent a letter reminding the national leaders of their promise to make Yeddyurappa as the CM once he came clean of charges against him.
“The party had promised to make Yeddyurappa as the CM once he comes clean of charges. Now the high court has given clean chit. The party high command should abide by their words and make him the CM within 24 hours,” said Excise Minister and supporter of Yeddyurappa M P Renukacharya. Yeddyurappa supporters also suggested CM D V Sadananda Gowda to voluntarily step down.
On the verdict, Renukacharya said: “Right from day one, we have been saying that the charges are politically motivated.”
Yeddyurappa’s supporters are also planning to visit party national leaders in Delhi in a day or two demanding CM’s post for their leader. Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa supporters have convened a meeting on Thursday.
BJP Will Vanish: Seer
Tumkur: Kolada Mutt head Sri Shanthaveera Swamji, representing a group of religious heads, spoke in favour of B S Yeddyurappa getting the CM’s post. “If the BJP continued to ignore him (Yeddyurappa), it will turn into ashes in the state,” he said.