For the first time since the political turmoil in the Karnataka BJP broke out two weeks ago, chief minister BS Yeddyurappa shed tears in public, betraying his helplessness and utter lack of control.
In an eight-minute-long emotional outburst, while speaking to a television channel in Delhi, Yeddyurappa said: “For my selfish ends, I had to ditch some people including Shobha (Karandlaje) or Baligar (his former principal secretary, who has been transferred already).”
Visibly under severe emotional duress, the CM expressed his guilt and fear, saying that God would not pardon him for ditching his people for the sake of power. He said that he had let down those who trusted him.
The trusted people he was referring to include senior Indian Administrative Service officer VP Baligar, who was his principal secretary and whose removal the dissidents were demanding. Baligar has been shunted out as secretary in the industries and commerce department.
Yeddyurappa has also agreed to drop his confidante and lone woman minister in the cabinet, Shobha Karnadlaje, who holds the rural development and panchayat raj portfolio.
After the very public emotional breakdown, the CM visited the Vaishno Devi temple near Jammu, before returning to the national capital for another round of late evening consultation with senior party leaders to reach a resolution to the crisis. With inputs from agencies
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