It is not easy to stop BS Yeddyurappa now

Former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa’s vow of returning as the chief minister within six months of demitting office (BSY demitted office in August 2011) was dismissed as mere bravado by his detractors and political analysts.  On Wednesday, as Yeddyurappa came out of Siddaganga mutt after seeking the blessings of Shivakumara Swamiji, the former chief minister had all the reasons to smile.

With the state high court quashing the FIR filed by the Lok Ayukta against Yeddyurappa for getting illegal gratification in return for alleged illegal favours shown for a few mining companies, Yeddyurappa’s claim for regaining the chief minister’s post has gained new vigour. Yeddyurappa’s loyalists have already faxed a copy of the court order to BJP national president Nitin Gadkari to reinstate him as the CM.

Yeddyurappa was forced to step down with an assurance from the BJP high command that he would be reinstated if he rid himself of the corruption charges. He has a long way to go in the legal battle as he is still embroiled in the
cases relating to alleged illegal denotification of lands and the issue of awarding contracts in the Upper Bhadra project.

Though the HC
ruling has absolved Yeddyurappa in just one case, it has however given huge legitimacy to Yeddyurappa’s argument that he had been implicated in false cases with political motives.

The verdict has boosted the morale of his supporters to present a strong argument before the high command to “see through the political conspiracy against Yeddyurappa”.   

Yeddyurappa’s loyalists have also decided to remind BJP national president Nitin Gadkari that it was this Lok Ayukta report that forced the party leadership to remove Yeddyurappa from the chief minister’s post and now it was only fair to reinstate him as he has come clean in the Lok Ayukta report on illegal mining.

His loyalists, who went into a huddle at his residence immediately after the high court verdict, have decided to go all out for the show of strength they have planned at Hubli on March 11 where over 2 lakh people are expected to turn up.

A group of loyalist ministers are expected to head to Delhi after the rally to convince the party high command to keep its word and reinstate Yeddyurappa as the chief minister without any delay.

The high court verdict is likely to put the party national leadership in a quandary as any hasty decision in this regard without waiting for the judgments in cases related to illegal denotification of lands and Upper Bhadra irregularities could boomerang against the party’s efforts to take high moral ground, if the verdicts go against Yeddyurappa. For now, in this battle of nerves, the momentum has shifted in Yeddyurappa’s favour.