Bangalore:
There is a new drama in the Yeddyurappa resignation saga which can act as a deterrent to the BJP's plans to corner the UPA government over the issue of corruption in the Monsoon Session of Parliament starting Monday.
Mr Yeddyurappa has now put forward another condition - that the BJP announces the name of his successor before he demits the office of the Karnataka Chief Minister. The BJP, on the other hand, wants him to resign before announcing the name of the new Chief Minister.
The stalemate continues as both parties have refused to blink on the matter.
Mr Yeddyurappa had, earlier this morning, sent his resignation to party president Nitin Gadkari; he is walking towards the Raj Bhawan along with his MLAs to meet Governor HR Bhardwaj. (
Watch: Rise and fall of Yeddyurappa)
Meanwhile, Mr Yeddyurappa attended his last public function as Chief Minister today where he announced his decision to quit and said he will continue working for the party.
"My dream was to make Karnataka the best state in the country. I will not rest from that aim even for a day. I am giving my resignation today. From tomorrow I will continue to work for the party," Yeddyurappa said.
"I was an ordinary party worker. I never dreamed of becoming the Chief Minister. The affection of the people put me in this chair. I worked sincerely and I am satisfied that in the last three years, the state had developed," he added.
Mr Yeddyurappa also struck an emotional chord with the people at the felicitation function saying, "It was like my arms and legs were tied. I am going to Raj Bhawan happily now without any pain in my heart. From tomorrow I can tour the state freely."
But his decision to resign as Chief Minister of Karnataka did not come without its share of defiance. He demonstrated his grip on the BJP in Karnataka, with three bus-load of supporters who spouted on demand cheers of loyalty to Mr Yeddyurappa and travelled from his house to Bangalore's Ashoka Hotel where they submitted a memorandum to BJP senior leaders Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh demanding Mr Yeddyurappa's continuance as Chief Minister. The MLAs have also demanded that Mr Yeddyurappa should be made the state party chief if he is removed as CM.
But after 48 hours of his show of strength, Mr Yeddyurappa finally allowed cameras to film him signing off on his resignation letter on Saturday.
However, the veteran leader, who has weathered many a political storm, reiterated the demands that he had for the high command:
- He wants to be state party president - but that wish may not come true
- He wants a person of his choice to become the next chief minister - but above all he does not want his old rival Ananth Kumar to get the job. The BJP may give in to these requests
Sources say that Yeddyurappa has told the BJP high command that former state party president Sadananda Gowda is his only choice for the next Chief Minister. Mr Gowda, a non-controversial man and a known Yeddyurappa loyalist, is almost certain to replace him as the next chief minister. He is not a Lingayat like Yeddyurappa, but a Vokkaliga - another dominant group in Karnataka. (
Pics: After Yeddyurappa who?)
His second choice is VS Acharya, the state's former Home Minister who has put his foot in his mouth several times but who is an absolute Yeddyurappa loyalist. He is a Brahmin and currently holds the higher education portfolio. Also in the line is Suresh Kumar, Mr Clean of the BJP in Karnataka - a welcome note in the light of corruption allegations claiming Yeddyurappa. Suresh Kumar is presently the Law Minister.
Mr Yeddyurappa suggested he would resign on Sunday - for astrological reasons. That deadline allowed the 68-year-old to try some emergency moves aimed at saving his job. But on Saturday, his party told him his time was up. If he didn't resign, the BJP said, it was willing to risk the entire government being dismantled for President's Rule, if it came to that.
Mr Yeddyurappa's exit came after he and his family were strongly indicted by Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde in his report on illegal mining on Wednesday. The report kicked up a political furore with the BJP finally deciding that Yeddyurappa's continuance as Chief Minister had become untenable. (
Read: Justice Hegde's report on illegal mining)
For now, at least, the apparent face-off between Yeddyurappa and his followers and the party leadership does seem to be over. None too soon for the BJP. For the last two days, the BJP had only two destinations in Bangalore - one was the residence of their party's first-ever South Indian chief minister, BS Yeddyurappa and the other a five star hotel where Central leaders had set up camp.
The constant shuttling between the two venues finally seemed to pay off - as the BJP hopes that with Yeddyurappa's departure, their government in Karnataka will last out the full five years.