Karnataka BJP rubbishes rumours of Basavaraj Bommai's exit; 'To continue as CM till 2023'

Putting an end to speculations, Bharatiya Janata Party's Karnataka unit chief Nalin Kumar Kateel on Saturday affirmed that there will be no leadership change, and CM Basavaraj Bommai will continue to hold the post until the next state elections in 2023.

"Bommai is going to be the Chief Minister till the next election, which is 2023. There is no leadership change," Kateel told reporters in Bengaluru. 

Speculations had started doing the rounds after CM Bommai, while at his hometown Shiggaon in Haveri district, had turned emotional a few days ago and said, "Nothing is permanent not even life." Stating that he has remained the same person throughout, CM Bommai said "positions and power come and go...but I have remained the same Basavaraja Bommai."

'Basavaraj is going to be the CM till next election'

However, Kateel termed these talks of leadership change, a conspiracy. According to him, when senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa became the chief minister, speculations started about his exit but he remained in power for two years. "This news (about Bommai's exit) is a figment of imagination. I feel this is a conspiracy to create confusion, problem in the state politics and to defame the BJP government," Kateel said.

Kateel also ruled out CM Bommai going abroad for the treatment of his knee-related ailment."He is not going abroad. There is nothing wrong with his health but only some leg-related issues for which he is getting treatment. He is healthy. His leg-related problem will be cured here only," Kateel said. The BJP leader added that CM Bommai was supposed to go abroad from the government side, which has been postponed. Hence, the foreign trip has been cancelled.

Basavaraj Bommai replaces BS Yediyurappa as Karnataka's CM

After months of speculation about tension in the Karnataka cabinet, and a change in leadership on July 29, former Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa announced his resignation while addressing an official event, marking the completion of two years of his government. Addressing the media outside Raj Bhavan, the BJP leader stressed that he resigned on his own volition and not as per any instruction from the high command as perceived. 

The very next day, the BJP named Basavaraj Bommai as the new Chief Minister of the state, purportedly on the recommendation of the outgoing Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

Image: ANI