Unfazed by mounting pressure, a combative Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Monday asserted he would continue in his post for the remainder of his term, ruling out his resignation in the wake of the Lokayukta report indicting him in the illegal mining scam.
"I am going to continue as chief minister for another two years," Yeddyurappa, who appeared relaxed, told reporters in the company of BJP state unit president K S Eshwarappa, shortly after the former's arrival from Mauritius where he was on a holiday with his family.
Yeddyurappa's comment came at a time when BJP central leadership said it would take "appropriate action" once the report is submitted to the government.
Earlier, several loyalist ministers met Yeddyurappa at the airport and accompanied him to his Race Course residence, where they were also joined by some MLAs. "We are all together," the chief minister, who completed three years in office in May, said.
He said former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and former CM H D Kumaraswamy are "very much worried" as their party JDS is "losing their vote-bank" by the day and fear that if the BJP government continued in office, "they will be no more" (a political force).