Demand for reinstatement closed chapter: Yeddyurappa

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Here on a mission of show of strength, former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Sunday made it clear that he would not ask the BJP high command for chief ministership and that he would not campaign for the March 18 Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha bypoll in the wake of the attack on him by chief minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda.

"Though I had decided to campaign for the party candidate, I have decided against it in the wake of Gowda saying I have eight pending cases against me. In these circumstances my presence will have adverse impact on the outcome of poll result," he told reporters here sarcastically while referring to Gowda and state BJP president K.S. Eshwarappa, who have been attacking him.

Yeddyurappa, who is here in connection with his 69th birthday celebrations being organised by his supporters, said his demand for his reinstatement as chief minister was a closed chapter and he did not want state party presidentship.

"It is true that I had asked for reinstatement as the chief minister for I desired to present Rs one lakh crore budget. Now I don't want anything. That is a closed chapter," said Yeddyurappa who had earlier expressed hope that the party central leadership would do justice to him after the high court order striking down a chapter in Lokayukta report on illegal mining which indicted him leading to his exit as chief minister last year.

Reacting to the high court order, Gowda had said eight other cases were pending against Yeddyurappa, indicating he would not make way for reinstatement of his predecessor.

Yeddyurappa also said tersely that Gowda and Eshwarappa were capable leaders who could help the party win the byelection.

"I don't want to be an obstacle in Gowda and Eshwarappa's endeavours to help party candidate win the bypoll," he said. Yeddyurappa said he would not demand anything from the central leadership.

"Eshwarappa has already stated that the central leadership will not meet my demands even if my supporters fly to Delhi," he said.

Yeddyurappa's Hubli bash is being attended by about 12 loyalist ministers from North Karnataka, who depend on his hold on the electorate for their re-election, though most still swear by the party.

Yeddyurappa loyalists like ministers Basavaraja Bommai, Murugesh Nirani, V. Somanna and C.M. Udasi, all of whom are from the politically powerful Lingayat community to which the former Chief Minister belongs, had invited BJP national president Nitin Gadkari to attend the Hubli convention, which he declined

Both Gadkari and Gowda as well as these loyalist ministers had been to Goa on March 9 to participate in the swearing in ceremony of newly elected BJP Chief Minister Manohar Parikkar.