Yeddyurappa rules out resigning over land scam issue

HUBLI - Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa ruled out his resignation on Saturday over the land scam issue, asserting that he had done nothing wrong and that there was no question of a change in leadership in the remaining two-and-half-years of the State Government’s term.

“Why should I (resign)? There is no offence from my side. I have not committed any mistake,” he told reporters in Hubli today.

Yeddyurappa said the party fought the Karnataka polls under his under his leadership and he would complete his term.

“If the party wants to fight the next elections under someone else’s leadership, I am going to support (that person) fully,” he said, adding that he was ready to quit politics if the judicial inquiry finds he has committed anything wrong.

Yeddyurappa said a retired Supreme Court Judge would conduct the probe into denotification of land since 1994, and he would be asked to submit his report within six months.

The Chief Minister, who retuned from Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Core Committee meet on Friday night, said the party will expose in the Lok Sabha ’scams’ involving Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy.

“There should be discussion in detail in the Parliament. It should not be like shouting and running away,” he said accusing the Opposition Congress and JD-S of targeting him to cover up their scams.

Earlier on Friday, BJP President Nitin Gadkari held a meeting with BS Yeddyurappa and Karnataka Core Committee members in New Delhi on charges of corruption and nepotism against the Chief Minister, but deferred a decision on his fate till the matter is discussed with the Central leadership.

“The party president had requested the Chief Minister and senior leaders of Karnataka to come to Delhi for consultations with them which have been completed. We will be discussing what we discussed with them with senior leaders in Delhi,” said senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley after the meeting.

It has been reported that BJP would take a final call on the issue after a Central Core Group meeting, which would include the decision of senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani.

The four-hour long late night meeting held on Friday at Gadkari’s residence was attending by senior leader Ananth Kumar and BJP Karnataka Core Committee leaders.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy had recently claimed that Yeddyurappa’s sons had been allotted 2.5 acres of de-notified land.

Kumaraswamy had also alleged that Yeddyurappa misused his position to de-notify state-owned land to favour his sons. (ANI)