BJP will win 150 seats in next assembly polls; I will be CM: Yeddyurappa

Bengaluru, Apr 10: Former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Saturday said that he would be the “next Chief Minister of Karnataka” with the party confident of winning 150 seats in the 2018 Assembly polls.

Speaking to media persons at his Dollars Colony residence in Bengaluru, he said it was people of the state who wanted him to head the state.

Mr. Yeddyurappa, who occupied the coveted post of the party chief for the fourth time, refuted the argument that there was delay in his appointment because of internal differences. “The term of previous president Prahlad Joshi ended only ten days ago and it took some time for the party leadership to fill that post,” he added.

People in the state wanted Mr. Yeddyurappa to head the party in the State and “honouring their sentiments”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Party's chief Amith Shah had handed over the responsibility of strengthening the party in the State, he said. “I have a responsibility to live up to their expectation,” he added. “They have exonerated all the mistakes committed by me and given a huge responsibility.”

On whether he was inevitable for the party at this juncture, Mr. Yeddyurappa said there were many senior and experienced leaders in the party. “But, Central leadership felt my necessity at the juncture and they thought I can shoulder the responsibility of strengthening the party,” he explained.

On his immediate priority, Mr. Yeddyurappa said it was “freeing Karnataka from Congress.” Mr. Siddaramaiah was working as “dictator” instead of addressing the issues, he said, focusing on expanding his cabinet and filling posts of boards and corporations.

Despite opposition by the senior party leaders including former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna and senior party leader Janardhana Poojary, Mr. Siddaraaiah refused disband Anti Corruption Bureau, he formed overnight.

To free Karnataka from Congress, we will work as a team. “You have seen the response of the central ministers from Karnataka and senior party leaders in the state, who came here. We all join our hands in achieving the goal of bringing party to power in the State,” he explained.

He said that he would officially take charge as the party state head on April 15 and start touring the drought hit areas from 23. After taking stock of the situation, he along with other leaders, chalk out plan of action to fight against the ruling Congress in Karnataka.