Disqualified MLAs demand Yeddyurappa's resignation

Close on the heels of Congress axing Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan from the post in the wake of Adarsh Housing Society scam, five disqualifed Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs asked their high command to apply the same yardstick to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and seek his resignation.

Addressing a press meet in Bengaluru just hours after Chavan's resignation, the MLAs -- Gopalakrishna Belur, Balachandra Jarikholi, Dr Sarvabowma Bagali, Nanjundaswamy and Raju Kage alleged Yeddyurappa also faces corruption charges, including on denotification of land in favour of his son and 'mysterious disappearance' of iron ore from Belekere port.

They wanted to know what right BJP leader Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley had to attack Congress in both houses of Parliament when the party had not acted against Yeddyurappa. BJP had earlier today said in Delhi that Chavan's resignation over Adarsh housing scam was not enough and it would raise in Parliament the issue of corruption in high places in the government and in welfare schemes under United Progressive Alliance rule.

Gopalakrishna said they would file a petition in the Supreme Court next week, challenging the High Court order upholding their disqualification. "If we get a stay, we will meet top BJP leaders and demand ouster of Yeddyurappa. Otherwise, we will go to the people's court." He questioned the party's action in forcing former minister H Halappa to resign after he faced charges of rape, but not acting against Yeddyurappa or his son B Y Raghavendra, MP, "for whom his father denotified land acquired by the Bangalore Development Authority."

On the basis of Yeddyurappa's complaint, Speaker K G Bopaiah had on October 10 disqualified 11 BJP MLAS and five independents under anti-defection laws.