Amid speculation of a probable exit, BS Yediyurappa on Sunday kept his followers and observers on the hook as he continued to hold off on making the final announcement on his future as Karnataka CM.
After dropping several hints about his probable exit last evening, the Lingayat strongman said on Sunday that he had not received any word from the party high command yet and that he will wait for further directions while performing his duties as CM.
"Nothing has come till now..," Yediyurappa said on Sunday evening, adding that on Monday morning he will attend at event to mark two years of his government in Karnataka.
"I will speak about the achievements in those two years. After that, you will know the progress," he said.
Karnataka Minister reaches Delhi
Amid heightened speculations about BSY's exit, state minister Murugesh Nirani added fuel to rumours after he arrived in the national capital on Sunday apparently to meet BJP leaders.
People close to Nirani, however, claimed he is on a personal visit to the national capital.
Nirani, the Minister for Mines, hails from the Lingayat community like Yediyurappa and is being seen as one of the contenders for the chief ministerial post along with BJP general secretary CT Ravi, Home Minister in Karanataka government Basavaraj Bommai and Union minister Pralhad Joshi.
Meanwhile, over 500 Veerashaiva-Lingayat seers from different parts of Karnataka on Sunday demanded that Yediyurappa should be allowed to continue in office.
Suspense over future
On Sunday morning, BSY said he is awaiting a decision from BJP high command in the evening regarding his future as Karnataka CM. He added that will take the appropriate decision once he gets the word.
"By evening once it comes, you will also get to know about it, once it comes I will take an appropriate decision," Yediyurappa said in response to a question whether the directions from the party high command in Delhi were expected today.
To a question on pontiffs holding a mega conclave in Bengaluru Sunday, which is seen as expressing solidarity with him, he said, "there is no need for pontiffs to hold any meet, I have confidence in PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national President J P Nadda."
Questioned about a Dalit Chief Minister replacing him, Yediyurappa said, "I'm not the one to decide about it, it is for the high command to decide.
Let's first see what decision they will take today..." Asked whether he was satisfied with his work for two years, he said, "if you are satisfied that's enough for me."
Indicating that Monday might be his last day in office, Yediyurappa had recently said that based on the instructions that the central leaders will give him on July 25, he will get on with "his work" from July 26.
His government will complete two years in office on July 26. Meanwhile, scores of pontiffs are expected to participate in a "mega conclave" to be held here on Sunday, coinciding with the possible decision by the BJP central leadership on his exit.
Dingaleshwar Swamiji of Balehosur mutt, who had held a press meet here on July 23 to inform about the conclave with other Swamijis, had refused to connect the event directly with the possible leadership change, but it is being widely seen as an attempt to muster support t to Yediyurappa and send out a message.
(With inputs from PTI)
