Yeddyurappa to make assets public Sunday

BELGAUM - Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa Saturday said he would Sunday make public his assets in response to continued allegations by opposition parties that he has amassed billions of rupees after coming to power in May 2008.

“I will follow the suggestion of our (Bharatiya Janata Party’s) senior leader L.K. Advani and declare my assets Sunday,” he told reporters in this north Karnataka town, 500 km from Bangalore, two days after Janata Dal-Secular party claimed his assets were worth Rs.1,000 crore (Rs.10 billion).

Advani had suggested Feb 1 that all party chief ministers and senior leaders should make public their assets.

Yeddyurappa accused the JD-S and Congress of continuing to level “baseless” allegations against him and not accepting his challenge to produce evidence to back their claims.

He also attacked Governor H.R. Bhardwaj for “trying to destabilize” the first BJP government in the state.

“The governor and opposition parties efforts will not succeed,” Yeddyurappa asserted, and reiterated that he would quit the moment evidence was produced to prove opposition charges of corruption and illegal land deals against him.

The chief minister and his kin are facing five complaints filed in a Bangalore court by two advocates after Bhardwaj gave sanction to prosecute Yeddyurappa over corruption and illegal land deals.

The court is yet to take congnisance of the complaints and hearing on the issue is to resume Feb 14.

Yeddyurappa is accused of allotting prime land in and around Bangalore to his two sons, one of whom B.Y. Raghavendra is a BJP Lok Sabha member, his daughter, his son-in-law, his sister and her daughter and son-in-law.

While Yeddyurappa has not petitioned the court against taking cognizance of the complaints, his son-in-law R.N. Sohan Kumar has done so, contending that the same allegations were being probed by the state Lokayukta (ombudsman).