Bangalore: Outgoing Karnataka Chief
Minister BS Yeddyurappa, who lost his job in the wake of his
indictment by Lokayukta in the illegal mining scam, on Tuesday
publicly said he would return to this post in six months.
68-year-old Yeddyurappa, who is the first BJP chief
minister of a southern state, made this remark at an informal
meet with state government officials.
Video footages beamed by TV channels showed one
unidentified official telling Yeddyurappa how it had been a
pleasure to work with him. And the BJP leader's response was
that he would be back as the state chief minister in six
months.
The remark by Yeddyurappa, who was forced to step
down on Sunday, set tongues wagging as to whether it was said
in jest or seriousness.
Yeddyurappa, who has been reportedly told by BJP
central leadership that he will have a say in choosing his
successor, has been solidly backing Udupi-Chikkamagalur MP DV
Sadananda Gowda for the CM's post.
Yeddyurappa's comments came on a day when he moved
the Karnataka High Court seeking quashing of the Lokayukta
report on illegal mining and questioned its recommendations to
prosecute him under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Hours before Lokayukta Santosh Hegde demitted office,
Yeddyurappa, who is nursing hopes that he will be absolved of
all charges, simultaneously filed a petition with the
anti-corruption watchdog seeking a review of its report.
Yeddyurappa contended in the petition that the stigma
attached to him by his indictment would continue to haunt him
and pleaded for an opportunity to prove his innocence.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, August 03, 2011, 00:13