Yediyurappa to PM: ‘Can resign, am unwell’

New Delhi, Jul 17:
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, facing rebellion from several leaders within the party, offered to resign citing ill health during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday evening, sources confirmed.
It is now for the BJP high command to decide whether to accept it, say sources, adding if the party decides to replace Mr Yediyurappa, then a change of leadership is likely by July 26, when the Chief Minister completes two years in his current term.
Sources said the probable names for the Chief Minister’s post are state Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Mines Minister Murugesh Nirani and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.
Sources added that the Chief Minister has offered to resign on the condition that his son VIjayendra should get a good position in the state party unit. The Chief Minister went about his day meeting BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda and Amit Shah in the national capital.
“He (Amit Shah) said you must work more for the party in Karnataka. Our blessings are with you. Like UP we must win all the seats in Karnataka. We discussed all that. He said Karnataka has a good future. We are completely with you. That is what the Prime Minister said yesterday, too,” BS Yediyurappa said leaving from the residence of Home Minister Amit Shah.
Yediyurappa, who flew to Delhi on a chartered flight with his son for meetings with the BJP leadership, has officially brushed aside any question of a leadership change in Karnataka. On Friday, after his meeting with the Prime Minister, he laughed off reporters’ questions and tossed them back: “I don’t know of any rumour about a leadership change. You tell me?”