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Yeddyurappa to meet loyalists, decide next step by 4 pm

May 14, 2012 10:29 IST

The former Karnataka chief minister is expected to unveil his plan after holding a meeting with his supporting MLAs, reports Vicky Nanjappa.

It may be a significant day for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka with former Karnataka CM B S Yeddyurappa deciding his future course of action on Monday. Yeddyurappa visited the Siddaganga mutt in Tumkur early on Monday morning and returned to Bengaluru to hold a meeting with loyalists at 10 am.  

"I will take a final call on whether to continue in the Bharatiya Janata Party by 4 PM," he told the media.

Nine loyalists quit their ministerial berths to show their support to Yeddyurappa.  

The former CM strongly crticised senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar. "Ananth Kumar has a point agenda and that is to become the chief minister of the state. Even when I made Sadananda Gowda the CM he did try to scuttle that. He has been indulging in such activities against me since for eight years. He is ready to put anyone down in order to gain power," Yeddyurappa said.

"Kumar is the main reason why Advani's mind has been poisoned against me. He has been planting false stories against me. He even went up to the extent of holding a major Advani rally when in Bengaluru when I was in jail. He joined hands with the mining lobby to pull me down. My enemies are within the party and that is why I praised Sonia Gandhi and the Congress party, which not only supportive but also united," he said. 

On the Central Bureau of Investigation probe against him in the mining scam, Yeddyurappa said that no court has declared him guilty. "If I have committed any wrong then I am ready for any punishment."

Meanwhile, the BJP central leadership will hold talks with both CM Sadananda Gowda and Yeddyurappa loyalist Shobha Karandlaje in New Delhi. The party leadership is hopeful of solving the crisis, senior leaders have said.

Vicky Nanjappa in Bengaluru