BS Yediyurappa ends speculation, says will resign as Karnataka Chief Minister today

Yediyurappa announced his resignation at an event commemorating two years since his government came to power.

File image of B.S. Yediyurappa | Photo: ANI

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa announced his resignation Monday. The move comes after months of speculation over a change of leadership in the state.

Yediyurappa, who is popularly known as BSY, announced his resignation at an event commemorating two years since his government came to power.

Addressing the congregation at Vidhana Soudha, Yediyurappa said, “I have decided to go to Raj Bhavan and tender my resignation as Chief Minister. It is not with sadness but with happiness that I got a chance (to become CM) after I turned 75. I can’t thank Amit Shah, JP Nadda, PM Modi enough in words. I am indebted to them. I hope that they come to power in the state and let us work together to do that.”

He said he will meet the Governor after lunch and submit his resignation.

On Sunday, amid speculations, BSY, who was on a visit to flood-hit areas of Belagavi, had said: “I have said in the past that I am ready to resign whenever they (high command) ask me to…Till now, I have not received any message from the Centre. As soon as I received it, if they want me to continue, I will continue or else I will resign and work for the party.”

A Lingayat leader

The outgoing chief minister broke down during the speech. “I’ve gone through agni pariksha. For two months (in 2019) I didn’t get to make my Cabinet. There were floods and I roamed like a mad man. Later the Cabinet was formed,” he said.

The exit of BSY, who is from the Lingayat community, is speculated to have implications on the Lingayat vote in the state. The community comprises 16 per cent of the state’s population.

Last week, Yediyurappa had also held what appeared to be a show of strength with seers of the Lingayat community. Following this, the BJP high command is said to have advised the leader to not get involved in Lingayat politics.

The BJP high command will decide on the next chief minister following consultation with the state leaders.

Resignation on two years of Yediyurappa govt

Earlier in the day, full-page advertisements in several newspapers lauded Yediyurappa on “two years of remarkable service”.

The advertisements appeared on the front pages of Deccan Herald, The Times of India and The New Indian Express.

Full-page advertisements in several newspapers lauded Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on ‘two years of remarkable service’.

Despite signs of friction with the BJP high command, the advert by the Karnataka government’s Department of Information and Public Relations displayed pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yediyurappa next to each other.

“Under the able Guidance and Support of Capable Administrator Sri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister, The Government of Karnataka, led by the Proactive and Dynamic Leader Sri B.S. Yediyurappa, Hon’ble Chief Minister, has over the past two years strived for the progress of the State and welfare of the people,” read the advertisement.

It then goes on to list a series of initiatives taken by the Karnataka government in the domains of health, agriculture, economy and development. The achievements, which included crime control, recruitment, forensic science lab and police reforms among others, were attributed as:
“Under the visionary guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Home Minister Shri Amit Shah and the able leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri B.S. Yediyurappa”.