Speculation on BS Yediyurappa continues as CM ‘waits for message’ from BJP central leadership

“I am expecting to receive the communication tonight. You will get to know by tomorrow morning,” he told reporters in Bengaluru after returning from a day-long visit to flood-hit Belagavi district.

The chief minister has kept himself largely free on Monday as he will attend the Kargil Vijay Diwas in the morning and another event to celebrate completion of BJP’s two years in office. His planned visit to flood-hit Uttara Kannada district hinges on the kind of message the BJP leadership will text him.

There have been a flurry of activities in recent weeks, with camps supporting the chief minister and those seeking his ouster pursuing their agenda. Lingayat mutt heads too did their best to forestall Yediyurappa’s exit, but those efforts don’t seem to have worked.

The chief minister said if the party top brass asked him to continue, he would. “If they want me to resign, I will abide by their decision and work to strengthen the party,” he said, adding that he had conveyed the central leadership about his willingness to resign if they wished two months ago itself.

“I will work for the party for the next 10-15 years,” he said.

For several weeks now, there has been speculation over a change of leadership in Karnataka, leading to hectic political activity in the state. The 78-year-old BJP leader completed his two-year term as chief minister on Sunday, which has only triggered talks of his exit even though this assembly still has about 22 months of term left.