Yeddyurappa quits

Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has resigned at last. Some in his party see it as a sacrifice, whatever that means. This is not the first time that he had hung on defying his high command. This time also he refused to quit until the last moment. The report of Lokyukta Santosh Hegde on illegal mining in Karnataka clearly implicated the chief minister and his administration. Yeddy has strong Lingayat support but the party high command did well to ask him to step down. The Lokyukta has recommended criminal prosecution against the politician-mining baron nexus. According to the report, illegal mining in Karnataka had cost the state exchequer Rs 10,000 crore between 2006 and 2010. The chief minister’s family stands accused of a questionable deal concerning a company dealing in iron ore. The children benefited to the extent of Rs 10 crore. Yeddy hung on to his seat nevertheless, setting conditions for his resignation. He insisted that he had to be allowed a say in choosing his successor and has deferred his departure till the weekend to exercise his influence. His role as a kingmaker remains to be seen.The BJP will lose its credibility if it gives too much latitude to its regional chiefs. It has launched an anti-corruption campaign against people in high places and has to project a high moral profile. Any laxity will dent its image as it did the DMK’s in Tamil Nadu. The Karnataka electorate cannot overlook the corruption tainting the outgoing chief minister. The BJP is a strong advocate of the Lokpal bill to fight corruption. It must prevent Yeddy from ruling Karnataka by proxy. Other ministers like B.Sriramalu V. Somanna should also be removed as the Lokyukta has condemned them. The BJP is happy with the exit of Shashi Tharoor, A Raja, Suresh Kalmadi and Dayanidhi Maran belonging to the UPA. It is now targeting P Chidambaram for his alleged involvement in the 2G scam. It is also accusing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of running away from moral responsibility. But to be convincing, it has to keep its slate totally clean and the shenanigans in Karnataka make it hardly so.