B S Yediyurappa speaks to the media alongside BJP leaders in Bengaluru. Image: Supplied.
Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday urged Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to resign after NDA-backed candidates won all four recent by-elections to the Karnataka Legislative Council.
Speaking to the media, Yediyurappa described the outcome as an expression of anti-incumbency. He said teachers and graduates had delivered a verdict that, in his view, had weakened the government’s moral claim to remain in office.
Asked whether the result could point to the next Assembly election, Yediyurappa said it could, citing the participation of educated voters, teachers and graduates. He urged Shivakumar to step down and seek a fresh mandate from the electorate.
Yediyurappa also criticised the government over what he called inadequate development, poor law-and-order conditions, corruption, alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission, rising prices, farmer distress and delays in old-age and disability pensions. He cited a figure of about 3,500 farmer suicides and alleged pension delays, but the video did not provide supporting records for those claims.
He further referred to a remark he attributed to Siddaramaiah about not having funds to pay sugarcane growers, using it to question the state’s finances. That characterisation was Yediyurappa’s political claim in the interview; the video did not include the underlying exchange for verification.
The four-seat result comprised JD(S)-backed A P Ranganath in Bengaluru Teachers and BJP candidates Shashil Namoshi, S V Sankanur and K M Suresha in the other constituencies. The party-wise result has been reported separately; see our reports on Ranganath’s Bengaluru Teachers victory and Suresha’s South East Graduates win. Read our report on the proposed Pink Line inauguration and pending safety authorisation.
About the Author
Atul Chaturvedi 
