Should Yeddyurappa stay or go? BJP still in a fix

Even as Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa exuded confidence back in Karnataka that he would continue in office a day after a late night meeting on Friday with BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, leaders Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar, the party is in a fix over whether he should continue or resign.

Even as Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa exuded confidence back in Karnataka that he would continue in office a day after a late night meeting on Friday with BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, leaders Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar, the party is in a fix over whether he should continue or resign.

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Yeddyurappa may be called back to the capital on Sunday — a day after he returned to Karnataka after the meeting — a close aide of the chief minister said, and a decision may well take a day or two, or even more.

“No decision can be taken on an impulse. We are examining all aspects of the matter,” senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley told HT. “The fact that we are spending so much time on the matter shows our seriousness.”

A senior BJP leader said no decision had yet been taken, as the party was calculating the political fallout of removing the chief minister as also of continuing with him.

Those against Yeddyurappa’s continuation feel it would take the sting out of the BJP’s charge against the UPA over corruption, a potent issue the party does not want to let go of.

But a section of the party’s brass believes his hasty ouster could electorally jeopardise the party’s chances in the state.

Meanwhile, talking to media in the northern Karnataka town of Hubli, Yeddyurappa said, "Why should I (resign)? There is no offence from my side. I have not committed any mistake." He said he was ready to quit politics if the judicial inquiry finds he has committed anything wrong.