'I will quit tomorrow,' says Yeddy, parleys on to elect new CM

Bangalore/New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) After his tense
standoff with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership,
south Indian state Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa
Saturday said he would tender his resignation Sunday amid
indications that he will have a say in the choice of his
successor.
As 68-year-old Yeddyurappa made the fresh affirmation
falling in line with the directive of the party leadership
which took a tough stand, BJP's central observers Arun Jaitley
and Rajnath Singh were locked in hectic consultations in
choosing the next chief minister in the first state ruled
by it in the South.
According to party sources, Yeddyurappa will have a say
in the selection of the new chief minister but the central
leadership made it clear to him that his demand that he be
made the president of the state party unit is not acceptable.
The sources said the choice for chief minister is
still open and negotiations were on between the central
observers Jaitley, Rajnath and the Yeddyurappa camp.
Yeddyurappa has reportedly suggested some names and
said as long as a choice is made from this panel he would not
object. He is believed to have suggested three names.
The names doing the rounds to succeed Yeddyurappa are
State BJP president K S Eshwarappa, Lok Sabha (lower house of
Indian parliament) MP Sadanand Gowda, Ministers Jagadish
Shettar, Shoba Karandlaje, V S Acharya and Suresh Kumar S and
party national general secretary and MP Ananth Kumar.
In an effort to end the speculation on whether or not
he would step down from his post, Yeddyurappa released a press
statement that he would quit office on July 31.
In the signed statement that was read out to the media
outside the Chief Minister's residence by loyalist Minister
Basavaraj Bommai, Yeddyurappa said he had already issued a
statement on Thursday that he would tender his resignation on
July 31 following the decision of the party's parliamentary
board and instruction from BJP central leaders.
But, he said, despite the statement, "even now, some
media are misleading the public that I am not resigning".
"I, hereby, again clarify that I am submitting my
resignation on the afternoon of 31-7-2011", he said.

Asked if Yeddyurappa's demands were accepted by the
party high command, Water Resources Minister Bommai said the
Chief Minister had a closed-door meeting with Jaitley and
Rajnath and he does not know what transpired between them.
"..but certainly talks are going on in right
way...positive way. Every thing will be solved", Bommai said
in his comments, which are seen as softening of his stand by
the Chief Minister.
It has been made clear by the Central leadership to
Yeddyurappa that since he is having a say on who becomes the
next chief minister, he will himself have to give up his
demand of becoming the state unit chief. This would mean
Eshwarappa may be allowed to continue.
Sources close to Yeddyurappa said he has asked
Governor H R Bhardwaj for an appointment Sunday anytime
after 1 pm when the inauspicious time, as per astrological
calender, gets over. He will then tender his resignation.
A clear picture on the successor will emerge only
Sunday, sources said.
The time for convening the meeting of the BJP
Legislature party has also not been fixed yet.