`BJP MPs should secure passage of Const amendment to Art.371`

Bidar(Karna): Former CMand BJP strongman in Karnataka B S Yeddyurappa urged MPs from the state unit to secure passage of Constitution Amendment to Article 371. Addressing a gathering here as part of his campaign to drum up support for his new regional outfit Karnataka Janatha Paksha (KJP), he said the MPs should quit their memberaship if the bill was not passed in on-going session.

In a continued attack on BJP, he said the party had forced him to take the decision to quit. "With great disappointment, I decided to come out of BJP". He promised to work for the welfare of the state and its people if his new party was voted to power. Yeddyurappa said he would resign his assembly membership on Nov 30 and also BJP. He urged people of Bidar to turn up in large numbers on Dec 9 at Haveri for the launch of his new party. Yeddyurappa has been sulking since he was forced to quit as Chief Minister last year by the central leadership in the backdrop of Lokayukta report on illegal mining indicting him. The 70-year-old Lingayat leader, who had played a key role in installing the first ever BJP government in the South, has been cut up with the BJP leadership at the Centre and state for the `ill-treatment` meted out to him. He has also ruled out accepting any position such as Chief Minister or party president in BJP. PTI