Yeddyurappa gets a reprieve for now

With Opposition parties stepping up pressure on Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa on corruption charges, there is uncertainty over his fate.

The top leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) first wants to discuss the matter among itself and with other important MLAs in the state before reaching a conclusion.

However, Yeddyurappa seems to have got a reprieve for now. The reason: The central leadership is worried about panchayat and taluk elections, due in less than one month. The leadership fears that removing a sitting chief minister on corruption charges may affect the party’s chances.

“Our immediate concern is panchayat and taluk elections. We had a discussion at (BJP President) Nitin Gadkari’s residence on Friday night. The chief minister explained his position. The Opposition parties are doing their job by raising these issues and that is not our concern. In my opinion, there is no reason for the chief minister to resign, but the final decision will be taken by the party high command,” said a senior leader of the party’s Karnataka unit.

An immediate decision is also unlikely because Gadkari is not in Delhi and is scheduled to come back on November 23. Senior leader LK Advani is in Mumbai because of family compulsions.

In the meeting, which lasted four hours, Gadkari, Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar were the only ones present. They met members of the state core committee, KS Eshwarappa, MP Sadanand Gowda and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Jagdish Shettar, in an attempt to solve the recent crisis.

Yeddyurappa is charged with transferring government land to family members. His family claims it has since returned the land.

Yeddyurappa is staying cool for the moment, say aides. His close associates at Karnataka Bhawan in Delhi said he woke up early morning and went for a walk. After breakfast, he left for the state at 7 am in a special flight.

BJP sources said the full core group, including Gadkari, Advani, Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj, would talk to some more important MLAs in the state before taking a final call on Yeddyurappa.

The chief minister is expected to come to Delhi again in the next one-two days to discuss the issue with the central leaders.

“BJP is very clear that if Yeddyurappa is found guilty of bending rules to benefit his family, he will have to go. But if he has not done anything wrong, the party may back him. He has already returned the land and also ordered a judicial probe into the issue,” said a senior BJP leader in Delhi.