BSY quits today, but crisis not yet over for BJP

For the second time in less than three days, Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa told central BJP observers Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley he would step down on Sunday, as they said they would consider his demand that one of his nominees be made his successor only after he quit. Shekhar Iyer reports. Lokayukta report revealed in full

For the second time in less than three days, Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa (BSY) told central BJP observers Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley he would step down on Sunday, as they said they would consider his demand that one of his nominees be made his successor only after he quit.

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With the BJP keen to end the drama before Parliament's monsoon session starts on Monday, an upset LK Advani reportedly conveyed to other central leaders that "we should be ready to sacrifice our government rather than submit to BSY's ways".

But parleys till late Saturday indicated the crisis following BSY's indictment by the Karnataka lokayukta's mining scam report was far from over, as he continued to demand a say in choosing his successor.

BSY told Singh and Jaitley he wouldn't accept HN Ananth Kumar, reportedly backed by Advani and BJP chief Nitin Gadkari.

Nearly 115 MLAs, including 57 BSY loyalists, met Singh and Jaitley. The CM's show of strength was seen as a tactic to prevent Ananth's appointment.

The front-runners for CM are law minister Suresh Kumar, Udipi MP Sadanand Gowda and education minister VS Acharya.