Will resign the moment BJP high command asks me to, says Yediyurappa

Bengaluru, June 06: Amid rumours of leadership change in Karnataka, chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday said he would step down "the moment BJP high command asks him to.

"I don't feel there is no alternate leadership in BJP here. I will resign the day party high command asks me to quit, said Yediyurappa insisting that he will not comment on quiet attempts to unseat him by a few MLAs of the party.

Speculations have been rife for sometime now that efforts were on within the ruling BJP to exert pressure for unseating Yediyurappa, the 78-year-old Lingayat strong man.

Recent visit by State Tourism Minister C P Yogeeshwara and Hubballi-Dharwad West MLA Arvind Bellad to Delhi reportedly to meet the high command and express to it the need to rein in the Chief Minister has given credibility to such speculation.

Earlier too, there have been speculations that the BJP high command is mulling leadership change in Karnataka in the days to come considering Yediyurappa''s advancing age.

Though the BJP had officially denied such speculation in the past, it refuses to die down, with some within the party like senior MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal giving credence to it with his statements, setting repeated deadlines for Yediyurappa''s exit.