BELAGAVI: In the midst of speculations on change of guard in the state, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said on Sunday morning said that a message on change of CM will come from the party high command by today evening.
He is expected to return to Belagavi city at 2 pm after winding up his review of flood-affected areas. He will later go to Bengaluru in the evening. ''By evening a message will be sent from the high command. You (media) will also come to know about it,'' he reiterated.
To a question on whether a Dalit CM will be named, he said it was a prerogative of the party high command to take a call on it.
There was no clear message from the BJP central leadership even on Saturday, just two days ahead of BS Yediyurappa’s government completing two years in office, though some party seniors indicated that the leadership change, which has been the buzzword for the last few days, may not happen in the immediate future. But other sections within the party said the BJP high command could take a decision on Sunday.
Yediyurappa, however, seemed to have resigned his fate to the party decision, saying earlier that he is expecting a message from the high command by this weekend and he would abide by it. But on Monday, he is going ahead with the celebration of completion of two years of his government. An event has been organised at Vidhana Soudha to mark the milestone, where a booklet will be released listing the achievements of his government.
Party sources said that though central leaders seemed keen on leadership change, they are yet to decide on Yediyurappa’s successor. Also, they may not take the ‘’risk’’ of changing the chief minister at a time when thousands of people are displaced by floods. “It may not happen anytime soon,” the sources said. The entire administrative machinery has been pressed into action to assist people affected by floods, while the chief minister is rushing to take stock of the situation in Belagavi, which is one of the worst-affected districts in the State.