‘Bommai Will Continue as CM’: BJP's Yediyurappa Dismisses Talks on Replacing CM
The next Assembly elections in Karnataka are likely to be held before May 2023.
advertisement
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will stay in the top post at least till the next Assembly election, clarified state Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) strongman B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday.
“There is no truth in it. There is no question of changes when it is seven to eight months for election. Basavaraj Bommai will continue as the Chief Minister. Such unnecessary reports in the media are not right, I appeal to you to stop it,” said Yediyurappa.
Bommai told mediapersons on Thursday, "I know that these events are politically motivated and have no basis. So now I am stronger than before. Keeping this as my motivation, I am going to spend most of my time in the coming days for the strengthening of the party and work for the benefit of the people."
The rumours began after Union home minister Amit Shah met Bommai and reportedly discussed the issue of alleged law and order failure in the state. Bommai is being criticised by several BJP leaders following the recent murder of the party’s youth wing leader in the Dakshina Kannada district.
The next Assembly elections in Karnataka are likely to be held before May 2023.
Congress Calls Bommai a ‘Puppet CM'
The Congress in a series of tweets has been speculating about Chief Minister Bommai being replaced and has even called him a “puppet CM.”
"Basavaraj Bommai is being controlled by the high command and he has not been allowed to work freely. That is hampering the development of the state. The original BJP leaders are not happy with Bommai. They feel that a newcomer to the party has been made the Chief Minister," said working president of Karnataka congress Saleem Ahmed.
Responding to reporters stating ex-BJP MLA B Suresh Gowda had indicated this change, Yediyurappa said no one in the party is discussing changing the CM and there is no need for it. “Even if someone has said something in this regard, there is no such change,” he said.
He added that the party leadership will decide on the next state BJP president, once the incumbent Nalin Kumar Kateel’s term ends by 20 August.
Yediyurappa also said that the BJP will soon travel across the state and are assured of their victory over Congress to once again form the government in the state.
Hitting out at Congress, he added, “Some people are under the illusion of becoming chief minister, there is no opportunity for it. It is certain that a BJP person will become the CM. BJP will make 100 percent efforts to come back to power and win more than 130-135 seats.”
“We have the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah and we are 100 percent sure about the BJP returning to power,” he added.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)