Senior BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa on Sunday said he did not need the support of party central leadership but only required public backing to become the chief minister once again. The former Karnataka chief minister was addressing a public rally at Hirekerur, 30 km from Haveri.
Yeddyurappa said if he became chief minister again, he would make Karnataka a model state in the country, adding, "some leaders within the party conspired against me to bring me down from the chief minister's post".
Referring to 'Operation Lotus' launched to increase the BJP strength in the assembly, Yeddyurappa said the party resorted to it for the welfare of the state.
"Without Operation Lotus, BJP would have lost. JDS or Congress would have ruled the state which could have not augured well for the state."