Yeddyurappa may stay on as K'taka CM till December

Even as Karnataka awaits the fate of Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, sources in the party say that he may be asked to stay on in power until the Zilla Panchayat elections are complete in December.

Yeddyurappa has been aggressively marketing himself in New Delhi and has been defying the high command, which had earlier decided that he would have no option but to go in the wake of corruption charges against him.

During the meeting of the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in New Delhi this matter was debated at length. Sources say that the high command was divided on the matter and finally they agreed that Yeddyurappa could stay on a while more.

The high command at the end of it took the option given to them by Yeddyurappa himself who had conveyed through his emissaries that he be given time till December.

When his confidante put forward this condition, the high command was told that they should wait for the results of the all important ZP elections to be held in December and based on the performance of the party they should take a decision on Yeddyurappa.

Nitin Gadkari, BJP national head who announced earlier that he would give the final decision by 11 am on Wednesday, also said that he would meet with Yeddyurappa once again before any decision was made.

Gadkari met Yeddyurappa once again on Tuesday night and held further discussions on the matter.

On Tuesday evening, the duo were in a meeting for two hours, following which the BJP top brass said that there was no question of a leadership change in Karnataka.

Senior Karnataka cabinet minister Dr V S Acharya told rediff.com that Yeddyurappa explained his stand to the BJP chief and an official announcement that he will stay as Karnataka CM is expected soon. "There is no question of a leadership change in Karnataka and this has been decided by the party high command," said Acharya.

The much-anticipated meeting between the BJP chief and Yeddyurappa was postponed on Monday after Gadkari flew to Nagpur from Delhi. He returned to the capital on Tuesday.

Yeddyurappa has received the support of most of the members of Parliament from his party.

During the meeting of the BJP's parliamentary board held at New Delhi, a majority of the BJP MPs and members of legislative assembly pledged their support to Yeddyurappa.

The meeting discussed the party's future course of action in the wake of corruption charges against Yeddyurappa. A majority of the BJP's leaders were of the opinion that he should continue as the CM of Karnataka.

Acharya pointed out that BJP had not formally asked for Yeddyurappa's resignation.

"He will be allowed to continue in office. I am dying to ask the media that who has been giving all of you information that Yeddyurappa has been asked to step down," Dr Acharya said.

Senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said that contrary to media reports, the Karnataka CM had never been defiant. He expressed confidence that whatever decision the high command takes, Yeddyurappa would abide by it.