Yeddyurappa satisfied with new party post

He was made part of Amit Shah's new BJP team to lead the party into the coming Assembly elections

Newly appointed as BJP vice-president by party chief Amit Shah, former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today said he is satisfied with the position given, though it was people's wish that he be made a minister.

"People's wish was that I should be made a minister but my wish was that Narendra Modi and Amit Shah give me party responsibility," Yeddyurappa told reporters at Chikkodi in Belgaum district. "They have given me party responsibility, I'm satisfied with it. As former Chief Minister and National Vice President, I will happily work towards strengthening the party," he said.

Thanking Shah and Modi for making him party's National Vice President, Yeddyurappa said, "Ananth Kumar (Union Minister from Karnataka) and several other party leaders have made efforts to get me a prominent position. It is because of their efforts I have got this position.I thank all of them." Yeddyurappa had returned to BJP and merged his Karnataka Janata Party in January, a year after he walked out of the party at the height of his differences with it over the leadership issue after he was removed as Chief Minister over a graft charge.

The Lingayat strongman had, however, failed to make a big electoral impact with his outfit in the 2013 Assembly polls that saw Congress' return to power after bringing down the first ever BJP government in the South, for which he was credited.

Stating that he will work for victory of BJP's candidates in three constituencies in the August 21 Assembly by-polls in Karnataka, Yeddyurappa said "We leaders will work together and bring failures of this government (Siddaramaiah's) before people and create awareness about it." By-elections are to be held for the three seats after sitting MLAs B S Yeddyurappa (Shikaripura), Prakash Hukkeri (Chikkodi-Sadalga) and B Sriramulu (Bellary) vacated them, consequent to their election to Lok Sabha. In this by-elections, straight contest is likely to be between BJP and ruling Congress as Janata Dal Secular has decided against fielding candidates citing funds crunch.