Zeenews Bureau
Chikmagalur: Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on Wednesday hinted at breaking away from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and floating his own outfit.
Ruling out any conciliatory talks with party central leadership, the sulking BJP strongman in Karnataka told reporters in this town, about 200 km from Bangalore: "I am not going to join any national outfit. I may build a new party. I will announce my decision after touring parts of the state, probably in December”.
His comments came in the backdrop of speculations that he is exploring the option of joining parties like Janata Party, Samajwadi Party or Janata Dal (United).
Yeddyurappa, who has been cut up with the party’s central leadership over being sidelined, ruled out any conciliatory talks, remarking "it is a closed chapter for me to hold any discussion with BJP high command".
The Lingayat strongman, who led BJP to its first ever government in the south in the last Assembly Elections, said he will not ask his supporters, including MLAs in BJP to join his party, and added "it is left to them to decide".
Yeddyurappa said he would go on a tour of the state from October 05 to assess the public support for him and decide on floating a new party in December.
Assembly Elections in the state are due May next year.
Yeddyurappa did not meet BJP troubleshooter Arun Jaitley and general secretary Dharmendra Pradhan, who visited the city n Tuesday to defuse the festering crisis in the state unit since his removal as chief minister in last July.
Yeddyurappa said he was firm that he would not accept any position offered by the party.
(With Agency inputs)
First Published: Thursday, October 04, 2012, 09:12