Bangalore: Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde's much-awaited report on illegal mining will be out today. Justice Hegde will submit his 11,000-page report to the state government by this afternoon.
"I have no hope that the report will be implemented by the government. But I hope the Supreme Court takes cognisance as they are already monitoring illegal mining," Mr Hegde said speaking to reporters in Bangalore.
The Lokayukta has already confirmed that his report names Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and four state ministers, among others. The embattled Chief Minister has, however, denied that he has been named in the report. He insists that there's "no evidence against me".
Defiant and refusing to quit, Mr Yeddyurappa told reporters in Bangalore yesterday, "There are many corrupt ministers in Delhi. The Prime Minister is a noble man but his circle is corrupt. So let him resign first and then let them talk about us." He added that he was confident of continuing as the Chief Minister for the next two years. Later in the evening, the Chief Minister, in the thick of controversy for the past one week, reached Tirumala to offer prayers and seek blessings. He was accompanied by eight cabinet colleagues.
The Opposition has attacked Mr Yeddyurappa unsparingly and very vocally over the Hegde report, demanding that he be sacked immediately for being accused of nepotism and corruption. Even the BJP is split on this - there is a divide over whether he should continue as CM. BJP vice-president Shanta Kumar has openly said Mr Yeddyurappa must step down.
Mr Yeddyurappa, the first BJP Chief Minister in a southern state, has survived all attacks against him in the last three years. But sources say a faction in the party now claims that their big plans of taking on the UPA government on the issue of corruption in the forthcoming session of Parliament would certainly be dented if Mr Yeddyurappa stays as Chief Minister. On the other hand, those favouring Mr Yeddyurappa say since the 68-year-old Chief Minister is the most prominent Lingayat leader of the BJP in Karnataka, the party should be wary of antagonising the community by removing him.
However, in signs of eroding support, the Lingayat mutts in Karnataka have slammed Mr Yeddyurappa saying he should be "above all suspicion." Speaking to NDTV, Sri Vishweshavani, the Chief Pontiff of Pejawar Mutt, said, "I am very upset that these allegations have come up against the CM. He should have been like Caesar's wife. Above all suspicion. At least we believed so."
The BJP now has to choose. Whether or not to sacrifice Mr Yeddyurappa, who has also delivered impressive gains for the BJP in the Lok Sabha and local elections, to be able to continue taking the high moral ground on corruption while attacking the Congress-led UPA at the Centre.
On Monday, BJP president Nitin Gadkari had said that the party would consider Mr Yeddyurappa's future after Mr Hegde's report was formally presented to the government.
Mr Gadkari claimed that the Chief Minister has promised to respect the decision the party arrives at once it reviews Mr Hegde's report. That could be wishful thinking. Sources say the Chief Minister has written to Mr Gadkari, making it clear that he will not quit unless he's found guilty by a BJP committee that he wants appointed to study the charges against him.
In an attempt to prove he has nothing to hide, the Chief Minister has asked that his in-house rival, BJP General Secretary Ananth Kumar, head this committee. Ananth Kumar met Mr Gadkari yesterday in New Delhi to discuss the matter.
The most explosive excerpts of the Lokayukta's report - which include strong criticism of four ministers in the Yeddyurappa government - were leaked to the media last week. Mr Hegde said that his phones had been tapped by people "with vested interests." Mr Yeddyurappa said on Monday that he has asked the Prime Minister to order a detailed investigation. "If the charges of phone-tapping are proved, I will resign as Chief Minister, and take permanent leave from active politics... I will resign from the party also," he dramatically vowed.
"I have no hope that the report will be implemented by the government. But I hope the Supreme Court takes cognisance as they are already monitoring illegal mining," Mr Hegde said speaking to reporters in Bangalore.
The Lokayukta has already confirmed that his report names Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and four state ministers, among others. The embattled Chief Minister has, however, denied that he has been named in the report. He insists that there's "no evidence against me".
Defiant and refusing to quit, Mr Yeddyurappa told reporters in Bangalore yesterday, "There are many corrupt ministers in Delhi. The Prime Minister is a noble man but his circle is corrupt. So let him resign first and then let them talk about us." He added that he was confident of continuing as the Chief Minister for the next two years. Later in the evening, the Chief Minister, in the thick of controversy for the past one week, reached Tirumala to offer prayers and seek blessings. He was accompanied by eight cabinet colleagues.
The Opposition has attacked Mr Yeddyurappa unsparingly and very vocally over the Hegde report, demanding that he be sacked immediately for being accused of nepotism and corruption. Even the BJP is split on this - there is a divide over whether he should continue as CM. BJP vice-president Shanta Kumar has openly said Mr Yeddyurappa must step down.
Mr Yeddyurappa, the first BJP Chief Minister in a southern state, has survived all attacks against him in the last three years. But sources say a faction in the party now claims that their big plans of taking on the UPA government on the issue of corruption in the forthcoming session of Parliament would certainly be dented if Mr Yeddyurappa stays as Chief Minister. On the other hand, those favouring Mr Yeddyurappa say since the 68-year-old Chief Minister is the most prominent Lingayat leader of the BJP in Karnataka, the party should be wary of antagonising the community by removing him.
However, in signs of eroding support, the Lingayat mutts in Karnataka have slammed Mr Yeddyurappa saying he should be "above all suspicion." Speaking to NDTV, Sri Vishweshavani, the Chief Pontiff of Pejawar Mutt, said, "I am very upset that these allegations have come up against the CM. He should have been like Caesar's wife. Above all suspicion. At least we believed so."
The BJP now has to choose. Whether or not to sacrifice Mr Yeddyurappa, who has also delivered impressive gains for the BJP in the Lok Sabha and local elections, to be able to continue taking the high moral ground on corruption while attacking the Congress-led UPA at the Centre.
On Monday, BJP president Nitin Gadkari had said that the party would consider Mr Yeddyurappa's future after Mr Hegde's report was formally presented to the government.
Mr Gadkari claimed that the Chief Minister has promised to respect the decision the party arrives at once it reviews Mr Hegde's report. That could be wishful thinking. Sources say the Chief Minister has written to Mr Gadkari, making it clear that he will not quit unless he's found guilty by a BJP committee that he wants appointed to study the charges against him.
In an attempt to prove he has nothing to hide, the Chief Minister has asked that his in-house rival, BJP General Secretary Ananth Kumar, head this committee. Ananth Kumar met Mr Gadkari yesterday in New Delhi to discuss the matter.
The most explosive excerpts of the Lokayukta's report - which include strong criticism of four ministers in the Yeddyurappa government - were leaked to the media last week. Mr Hegde said that his phones had been tapped by people "with vested interests." Mr Yeddyurappa said on Monday that he has asked the Prime Minister to order a detailed investigation. "If the charges of phone-tapping are proved, I will resign as Chief Minister, and take permanent leave from active politics... I will resign from the party also," he dramatically vowed.
No comments:
Post a Comment