Karnataka Chief Minister today announced his resignation, after holding the position for two years.
He has clarified that resignation is his own decision; no one forced him to resign. “No one forced me to resign from high command; I only decided to give resignation.”
“I have decided to resign. I will meet the Governor after lunch,” Mr Yediyurappa, 78, declared in a tearful speech at the Vidhan Sabha premises, talking about being tested constantly in the two years of his fourth term – possibly his last, given the BJP’s age limit of 75 years for posts. Soon after, he walked to the building next door to hand in his resignation.
He told reporters – “I thank PM (Narendra) Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda. They gave me the chance to rule as Chief Minister despite being over 75. I had decided to resign some time back. I thought it best to resign today as we mark completion of two years in this term,”
The BJP had grown in Karnataka, he said, adding: “It has always been an agnipariksha (trial by fire) for me. These last two years it was Covid.”
He also tweeted a tribute to his party’s icons and top leaders.
