Happy politically-motivated charges against me cleared: Yeddyurappa

After a special CBI court acquitted former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, along with 12 others in the Rs. 40 crore bribery and corruption case involving his family members and Jindal Steel Works (JSW), Yeddyurappa on Wednesday said the CBI court gave a relief and he was very happy that false allegations and politically motivated charges made against him were cleared.

"Today, the CBI court gave a relief, and I am very happy because false allegations and politically-motivated charges made against me were cleared. Throughout the state, lakhs of our party workers were very worried with these types of cases and other things; now, they are also very free so that we can work together across the state and strengthen our party," BJP Karnataka president Yeddyurappa told ANI.

Asked how he was planning his future, whether he would go to the Central politics or would continue in the state, the BJP veteran said, "I told it clearly long ago that I will work for the state's welfare, and am not at all interested in the Central politics. Even after becoming Member of Parliament (MP), I am spending more time in Karnataka."

"Because I am the president of the party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah are expecting more from Karnataka. So, we must win, at any cost, the state; we must win at least 150 seats, which is our target, and for that, we will have to work across the state and would have to strengthen our party in the state," said Yeddyurappa, adding that he would be going to Delhi within two-three days to meet them.

Asked for the last four years, he had seen so many ups and down, particularly the Congress targeted him, he said, "Definitely, in the future, they cannot make such allegations against me. They have also realised that I am not at all worried about other political parties for criticising me, though they will continue with this, there is no doubt about it. I don't want to comment on any other political party; I will work hard to build up my party. We suffered a lot and my family members also suffered a lot, but at last we got relief and I am happy now."

The Karnataka Lokayukta had alleged by that Yeddyurappa, his two sons, son-in-law and a steel conglomerate JSW are involved in criminal conspiracy, bribery, forgery and corruption in a case.

Yeddyurappa earlier tried to quash the case in the Supreme Court, but was unable to do so.

While Yeddyurappa was the prime accused, the others accused in the case were his sons Raghavendra, Vijayendra and son-in-law Sohan Kumar.