Yeddyurappa holds out, defers morning Delhi visit

NEW DELHI/BANGALORE - While his ministers expressed confidence that he would ride out the storm, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, under pressure to quit over allegations of favoured prime land allotment to his relatives, deferred his visit to New Delhi to Monday evening.

Two ministers, R. Ashoka and V.S. Acharya, who met Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari, told reporters in New Delhi that the issue will be resolved “by tomorrow” (Tuesday).

Acharya, known to be Yeddyurappa’s confidant, asserted that Yeddyurappa would continue as chief minister.

The state government’s special representative in New Delhi and another Yeddyurappa confidant, V. Dhananjaya Kumar, said reports that the chief minister has been asked to quit by 11 a.m. Monday were “baseless”. He asserted that “no decision has yet been taken”.

Ashoka, whose name is also making rounds as a possible successor to Yeddyurappa, was not that categorical but said “we have given all details to Gadkari. Our leaders will again talk to Yeddyurappa and the matter will be clear by tomorrow (Tuesday)”.

Acharya said Yeddyurappa would reach New Delhi Monday evening for a meeting with Gadkari.

The BJP president said Sunday he has been authorised by senior party leaders to take a final decision on the continuation or resignation of Yeddyurappa.

In Bangalore, Yeddyurappa cancelled his morning trip to New Delhi and instead went Puttaparthi in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh to participate in the 85th birthday celebrations of Hindu religious leader Satya Sai Baba.

This is the second time in less than 24 hours that Yeddyurappa has deferred visit to New Delhi.

On Saturday, after returning to Karnataka following talks with Gadkari and other central leaders in New Delhi, he had said he would visit the capital again Monday.

However, on Sunday morning, he said he was leaving in the evening but cancelled it at the last minute with his office saying he would take the Monday morning flight.