Buoyed by the Supreme Court’s decision not to revoke the anticipatory bail in a corruption case, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has decided to seek the permission of CBI to embark on a state-wide tour later this month. Sources in the state unit of BJP said the former chief minister has drawn up a tentative itinerary beginning third week of August while awaiting the apex court’s verdict on an application filed by the CBI for cancellation of anticipatory bail granted by the Karnataka High Court. His priority would be to visit drought-hit districts of the state.
The sources said within a day or two Mr Yeddyurappa would submit a formal application seeking permission of the CBI to head out of Bengaluru to scarcity-affected areas. The permission of the investigating officer would be required as the Karnataka High Court had listed it as one of the conditions while granting anticipatory bail. The sources said though the former chief minister has already consulted his advocates on the application to be submitted to the CBI, he would also explore the option of moving the high court in case the investigating officer rejects his plea for permission to tour the state. He would participate in meetings of the state unit and play a key role in the decision- making processes of both the party and the state government.
The former chief minister, who was planning to resume ‘Janata Darshan’ at his office in Malleswaram, would start meeting party workers and the public from 11AM to 1 PM on Tuesday. He had stopped ‘Janata Darshan’ at his office in May 2012 at the behest of senior leaders including party president Nitin Gadkari. The leader, however, would visit the party office regularly in order to avoid embarrassment to state unit leaders, the sources added.
The leader would tour the state in a vehicle spruced up by automobile design expert Dilip Chhabria.