Karnataka Lokayukta Hegde to stay on after Advani intervenes

It was the last minute intervention by the veteran BJP leader LK Advani that resulted in Justice Santosh Hegde’s withdrawal of resignation as Karnataka Lokayukta.

It also saved the party from further embarrassment caused by the high moral ground that Hegde took on the issue of corruption in the state.

Well-placed sources in the BJP said that Advani had been closely monitoring the developments, over the past one week, related to the extreme stand taken by Hegde particularly related to illegal mining in the state.

However, reluctant as he is to be seen delving into the party affairs, he was asked by senior party functionaries to intervene in the issue.

Advani reportedly had a telephonic conversation with Hegde on Friday and made an impassioned appeal to him to rethink his quitting as Lok Ayukata.

According to sources, Advani assured Hegde that the state government would fully cooperate and look into his grievances.

Once assured of a positive response from him, Advani followed up his telephonic conversation with a three-line press statement aimed at making a public commitment that the issue of corruption in mining and other issues in Karnataka.

As part of a well-thought strategy on Advani’s part, his initiative coincided with the visit of the party president Nitin Gadkari to Bangalore on Saturday.

BJP strategists thought it was prudent to not leave anything to chance, and follow Advani’s initiative with a meeting with the BJP’s top leadership with Hegde at his residence to assuage his feelings.