‘Delayed resignation as time was inauspicious’

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It was a day of rumours, intrigue and high drama despite the fact that Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa had assured everyone that he would resign on July 31. As the hours passed by, there were even reports that he had changed his mind and had decided to stay on.
However, at around 4 pm, Mr Yeddyurappa arrived at Raj Bhavan in a padayatra along with his colleagues and tendered his resignation.
Governor H.R. Bhardwaj, with whom the chief minister’s relations have been anything but cordial, accepted the resignation and requested him to continue as caretaker chief minister till an alternative leader is selected.
Earlier, the chief minister was supposed to resign just before 9.30 am and after 11.30 am.
After he confirmed that he would participate in the Balijiga community programme, his supporters decided that he would resign at exactly 3.27 pm. Raj Bhavan sources however said the chief minister was given an appointment at around 2.30 pm.
At around 2 pm, two associates of Mr Yeddyurappa — Mr Basavaraj Bommai and Mr Prabhakar Kore — went to Hotel Lalit Ashok and called on senior BJP leaders. Reports soon spread that Mr Yeddyurappa had declined to step down, unless his successor was named. When the convoy of the CM did not start its journey till 3.30 pm, rumours gained ground that the CM had been persuaded by his supporters not to give in and was even considering splitting the party.
At around 3.40 pm, Mr Yeddyurappa and his colleagues started walking towards Raj Bhavan amidst a heavy downpour. Soon after he entered Raj Bhavan, the chief minister tendered his resignation.
After putting in his papers, Mr Yeddyurappa spoke to the media and in an emotional outburst, attacked the Opposition parties as well as some of his own party colleagues. “I was harassed and haunted by the Opposition from the day I assumed power. I have done a lot of good work in the last three years and two months, which has given me a lot of satisfaction,” he said.
Stating that he was quitting as per the directions of the party high command, Mr Yeddyurappa said that some of his party colleagues had created confusion over his resignation. “I delayed the resignation as the time was inauspicious. Some of my party colleagues were in a hurry to ensure my resignation,” he said.
While listing out the initiatives during his tenure as chief minister, Mr Yeddyurappa remarked that he was made a scapegoat in the iron ore mining issue when he tried to clamp down on illegal activities.