Wants his sons to be suitably accommodated at Centre

Change of guards in the BJP Government in  Karnataka is expected with the central leadership indicating to the incumbent Chief Minister  BS Yediyurappa that he needs to step down.  

Yediyurappa on Saturday set his own conditions  before the top leaders for his exit from the helm. Sources said Yediyurappa wants his sons to be suitably accommodated at the Centre before he steps down.

Yediyurappa, who met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnth Singh and  party president JP Nadda, denied that he has offered to resign and insisted that the top leadership wanted him to “work hard”  to form a full  BJP majority Government in the State in 2023 and win maximum Lok Sabha seats in 2024 .

The Chief Minister has called a meeting of State Legislative party meeting on July 26 apparently to “listen in to grievances of MLAs”.

According to sources,  Yediyurappa, 78, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday for over 30-minutes, has been suggested that he has to make way for a succession by the time he completes his two-year term of his fourth tenure as Chief Minister.

Yediyurappa was sworn-in as Chief Minister on July 26, 2019.

Interesting, during the meeting Modi, understandably,  did not offer any comments when the Chief Minister sought his guidance on state cabinet reshuffle and sought the latter to discuss political issues with Shah and Nadda.

According to sources, Yediyurappa has asked for key political slots for his sons  B Y Vijayendra and B Y Raghvendra.  Vijayendra, BJP State Vice-president, has been accused by Karnataka’s rebels, including ministers, of interference and running a parallel government in the state.

BJP leadership which has been campaigning against the ‘Congress dynasty’ is unlikely to go any  further to adjust Yediyurappa’s sons, sources said.

Yediyurappa’s nominees have already been accommodated with the Modi-government as  was reflected in the July 7 reshuffle  with five from Karnataka, including one of Chief minister’s close  associate Shobha Karandlaje finding place in the council of ministers.

After his meeting with three BJP leaders , the Karnataka Chief Minister, however,  said  that all was well between him and the top brass maintaining that Shah had told him to ‘work hard to return to power’ in the state.

Yediyurappa claimed that Nadda and Shah were ‘very happy’ with him and had told him to take responsibility of strengthening the saffron party for the next term.

“They gave me blessings and assurance. They gave me full confidence and big responsibility of building the party. They are very happy with me. The situation of me resigning has not arisen. Nobody has asked me to resign. These speculations are fake and baseless,” said Yediyurappa.

“ Home Minister said that we will win 100% in UP and in Karnataka, we have a bright future. He said to take the responsibility of strengthening the party in Karnataka. I assure you I will not step back and will take complete responsibility,” Yediyurappa told the media after his meeting with Shah.

Asked if he has tendered his resignation, Yediyurappa said, “Why’ Not at all, not at all, not at all..” He added, “I met with PM yesterday and we discussed Karnataka’s development. I am coming again to Delhi on 1st week of next month”.

Karnataka Tourism Minister CP Yogeeshwara, a party hopper himself,  in last month said that instead of the Chief Minister, his son has been ruling and controlling the Ministries of the state.

Yediyurappa himself is facing a number of court cases, including those involving corruption. Eom