BackYediyurappa leaves a legacy of progressive development in Karnataka: Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Yediyurappa, the 78-year-old BJP veteran, submitted his resignation to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at the Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru
PremiumEnding months of speculation over his exit, BS Yediyurappa on Monday stepped down as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw hailed his stellar leadership role.
"BS Yediyurappa played a stellar leadership role as CM and leaves a legacy of progressive development," Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw tweeted.
Replying to the Biocon chief, Yediyurappa said, "Karnataka has always been a pioneer in science, technology and innovation and I am confident that the state will continue to contribute significantly to India's growth story."
Yediyurappa had announced his decision to step down, as his voice choked and he turned emotional. "Not out of grief, but with happiness," he said, as he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda for giving him an opportunity to serve as Chief Minister for two years.
The 78-year-old BJP veteran, who submitted his resignation to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at the Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru, said he quit "voluntarily" and will continue to remain active in state politics.
Following Monday's developments, the focus now shifts to finding a successor for the BJP veteran, who could lead the government for the remainder of its term and the party to the 2023 assembly polls.
Who will be the next CM of Karnataka?
There is no clarity yet as to who the next CM would be. Among the names doing the rounds are Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, BJP national General Secretary C T Ravi, the party's national organising secretary B L Santhosh and the Assembly Speaker Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri. While Joshi, Santosh and Kageri are Brahmins, Ravi, the MLA from Chikkamagaluru, is a Vokkaliga, another dominant community in the state, mostly concentrated in Southern Karnataka, where the party is trying to make inroads. If the party looks for replacing Yediyurappa with another leader from the dominant Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, the probables include Mining Minister Murugesh Nirani, Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar and MLAs Arvind Bellad and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal. While Nirani is a businessman-politician, whose repeated Delhi visits recently have raised eyebrows in party circles.
-With agency inputs
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