The Hindu : Karnataka News : Opposition wants him out

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Friday, Mar 25, 2011
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Opposition wants him out

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) on Wednesday urged Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to resign from his post to facilitate free and fair investigation by the Lokayukta police into the corruption charges levelled against him.

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) said Mr. Yeddyurappa's continuation at the helm becomes untenable in view of the special court's direction to investigate the corruption charges against him.

KPCC spokesperson Ramachandrappa told The Hindu that Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah and KPCC president G. Parameshwara have demanded Mr. Yeddyurappa's resignation. “His continuation as Chief Minister will prove to be a hindrance to the investigation. Hence, he should resign,” Mr. Ramachandrappa said.

JD(S) spokesperson Y.S.V. Datta likened the investigation against Mr. Yeddyurappa to the probe into the 2G spectrum scam against the former Union Telecom Minister, A. Raja. “Just like Mr. Raja quit his post, Mr. Yeddyurappa should resign,” Mr. Datta said. “How can the police officials investigate the person under whom they work? Isn't there a possibility of the documents being tampered and evidence being destroyed?” Mr Datta said, before recalling the resignation of Katta Subramanya Naidu in the wake of the Lokayukta probe against him a few months earlier. “The same yardstick must apply to the Chief Minister. He should resign the moment a FIR is registered against him,” Mr. Datta said.

BJP unperturbed

On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party was not unduly perturbed over the verdict. A senior party member told The Hindu that the verdict had vindicated the party's stand that “one cannot be termed guilty without an investigation”. Pointing out that the court has given the Lokayukta police six weeks to submit their findings, he said it was not right to term Mr. Yeddyurappa guilty before the completion of inquiry. He said the verdict had come as a breather to the party at a time when the Opposition had mounted an attack on the BJP Government over corruption charges just before the byelections.

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