K'taka Cong chief urges Yediyurappa to reveal who was responsible for his tears, pain

After BS Yediyurappa resigned from the post of Karnataka Chief Minister and broke down while announcing the same, state's Congress unit President DK Shivakumar on Monday said that the BJP leader should explain to people about the person who was responsible for his pain.

"The way Yediyurappa cried today while announcing his resignation, it was not the tears of one person. What is the pain behind this? Who caused that pain? Let this be revealed to the people of the state," said Shivakumar during his interaction with media persons at his residence in Sadashiva Nagar.

He further stressed that "no happiness was visible behind his resignation" indicating a decision that seemed forced upon Yediyurappa, who now holds the position of caretaker Chief Minister till his successor is sworn in.

"There is no happiness visible behind his resignation. Instead, the pain was clearly visible. Who is responsible for that, he should explain it to the people of the state," said Shivakumar.

"He should explain his pain to the people. Was he pained because our people suffered two years of COVID-19? Or is it because the party high-command did not control the MLAs? People should know this," he added.

The KPCC chief also termed the turn of events as "BJP leaders stabbing Yediyurappa from behind."

He said, "Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa gave complaint against Yediyurappa to the Governor. Another MLA said he had written an exam, one more was seen speaking wayward against him on streets showing disrespect."

Shivakumar also alleged that Yediyurappa was not supported during his tenure.

"The state and national leaders have consistently troubled Yediyurappa since the beginning. Yediyurappa did not get support from the high command. They didn't control who foul-mouthed him," said the KPCC president.

Claiming to have stood by Yediyurappa's side, he said, "We did not trouble Yediyurappa. We clapped when he asked. We helped people during COVID-19 times. Other than that, we have not hounded him unnecessarily like others."

Ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly polls, Shivakumar said that he does not see any gain in replacing Yediyurappa as people have already decided to replace BJP in the state.

Ending months of speculation, Yediyurappa today announced his decision of stepping down at a special event organised at Vidhana Soudha to present the government's report card on the occasion of the completion of two years of the BJP-led state government in the current term.

Later, he met Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot at the Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation. Gehlot accepted Yediyurappa's resignation and dissolved the Council of Ministers with immediate effect.

Stating that nobody pressured him to resign, Yediyurappa said he had stepped down so that somebody else could take over as the chief minister after the successful completion of two years of the BJP-led government in the state.

He also said that he decided to resign two days ago, and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda and the people of Karnataka.

Yediyurappa also assured that he shall work to bring the party back to power in the upcoming Assembly elections.

( With inputs from ANI )