BANGALORE: Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa’s comeback bid to politics may, in all probability, needs to be kept in abeyance. This follows the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) recommending probe from an independent agency such as the CBI into the alleged payment of kickbacks by a steel giant to a trust owned by the kin of the former chief minister.
Yeddyurappa, who was forced to step down following the Karnataka Lokayukta indicting him of being involved in illegal mining, had set a deadline to the party’s central leaders to reinstate him as the chief minister after a High Court division bench had set aside a chargesheet filed by the Lokayukta on charges of illegal mining. The central BJP leaders who were in a tight spot were reportedly awaiting the CEC’s decision on the charges against its estranged leader in Karnataka.
Also, the former CM has reportedly deferred his comeback plans till the Supreme Court takes a call on the recommendations made by the CEC.
The BJP leaders had also reportedly turned down the chief minister’s request to go ahead with the Cabinet expansion. Eleven berths are vacant in the state Cabinet; Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda is burdened with over 20 portfolios, including those of finance, revenue and women and child welfare.