Will remain Chief Minister as long as high command has confidence in me: B S Yediyurappa
Bengaluru: Amid speculations about a leadership change in Karnataka, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday said he will continue in the top post as long as the BJP high command has confidence in him and he had no confusion about it.
The Chief Minister also said, he won't agree that there was no alternate leader to replace him in the state BJP.
"...as long as the Delhi high command has confidence in me, I will continue as the Chief Minister. The day they will say they don't want me, I will resign and work day and night for the development of the state," Yediyurappa said in response to a question on attempts to replace him.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "I'm in no confusion. They (high command) have given me an opportunity, I'm trying beyond my strength to utilise the opportunity for good. Rest is left for the high command."
Responding to a question on "alternate leadership" to him, Yediyurappa said, "I will not criticise anyone. I won't agree that there is no alternate person. There will always be alternate persons in the state and the country, so I won't agree that there are no alternate persons in Karnataka, but until the high command has confidence in me I will continue as the Chief Minister."
This is possibly the first time that the 78-year old Lingayat strongman has spoken in detail on the issue of leadership change and regarding an alternate leader to replace him in the state BJP, ever since speculations began in this regard.
Speculations have been rife for some time now that efforts were on, within the ruling BJP to exert pressure for unseating Yediyurappa.
The recent visit by state Tourism Minister C P Yogeeshwara and Hubballi-Dharwad West MLA Arvind Bellad to Delhi, reportedly with an intention to meet the high command and express the feelings of some legislators against Yediyurappa's style of functioning and request them to rein in the Chief Minister, had given credibility to such speculation.
Also, citing certain decisions taken by the government, its handling of the COVID crisis and alleged instances of corruption, a few MLAs were said to be pushing for convening a legislature party meeting.
However, state BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel and Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi had ruled out leadership change and had said that Yediyurappa will complete the term.
Several legislators considered close to the Chief Minister too had rallied around him questioning the need for such a change and asserted that the veteran leader will complete the term and will even lead the party during the next polls two years away.
Yediyurappa's son and state BJP vice-president B Y Vijayendra had recently visited Delhi and met top party leaders including national President J P Nadda and had reportedly requested to rein in dissidents.
Leaders like MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and MLC A H Vishwanath, have been embarrassing the government with their statements, Tourism Minister C P Yogeshwar recently got added to the list.
Vijayendra's alleged interference in the administration is seen as one of the main reasons for growing disgruntlement against Yediyurappa's leadership within the party, the allegation which the Chief Minister's younger son has repeatedly rejected.
Earlier too there has been intense speculation in some quarters that the BJP high command is mulling leadership change in Karnataka in the days to come considering Yediyurappa's advancing age.
There is an unwritten rule in the BJP that leaders above 75 years should not hold ministerial positions.
Though the BJP had officially rejected outright such speculation in the past, it refuses to die down, with some within the party like senior MLA Yatnal giving credence to it with his statements, setting repeated deadlines for Yediyurappa's exit.
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Hathras: Cousin kills 2 minor sisters by sitting their throats, attacks their parents too
Hathras (UP), Jan 23 (PTI): Two minor sisters, the youngest just six, were killed allegedly by their cousin who slit their throats in the dead of the night before attacking their mother and bedridden father with an intention to wipe out the entire family, police said Thursday.
The horrific incident occurred during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday at the family's home in Ashirwad Dham Colony of Hathras' Sadar Kotwali area, they said.
While Vikas allegedly killed his two cousins -- Srishti (14) and Vidhi (6) -- by slitting their throats with a sharp object, his uncle and aunt survived the assault but have been hospitalised with serious injuries, officials said.
While a family feud is suspected to be the reason behind why Vikas launched the murderous attack, police said they are investigating the motive behind the crime.
The deceased were the daughters of Chhotelal Gautam, originally from Fatehpur district.
Gautam, a lecturer at Jawahar Smarak Inter College in Mitai, has been residing in the Ashirwad Dham Colony with his wife Virangana alias Gauri and their daughters. He has been bedridden for the past year due to a paralysis attack, according to police.
Hathras Superintendent of Police Chiranjeev Nath Sinha said Gautam's nephew Vikas arrived at the family's residence on the night of January 22, accompanied by an associate.
"Around 9 PM, they all had dinner together and they all went to sleep. Sometime between 1:30 and 2 AM, Vikas and his associate used sharp weapons to attack the family, killing the two daughters. They also injured Chhotelal Gautam and his wife," Sinha said.
Gauri's cries for help caused the attackers to flee. Alerted by her screams, other tenants and neighbours gathered and informed the police. The injured couple was rushed to the district hospital and later referred to a higher medical centre, he said.
The bodies of the two girls have been sent for postmortem.
Sinha said, "Gautam and his wife sustained injuries, but they managed to survive. According to Gauri's statement, her daughters' cousin Vikas carried out the attack. An FIR has been registered under relevant sections, and further legal action is being taken. The couple has been referred to a higher medical center for advanced care."
The residents of the colony revealed that Vikas was a frequent visitor to the family.
