Former Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa continues to be controversial

New Delhi, Feb 25 (ANI): The political tussle between the Congress party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka intensified, with both sides engaging in a fierce war of words over allegations of corruption against former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa.

Last year, former Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde had indicted Yeddyurappa and several other key officials in a mining graft that cost the state exchequer losses worth 160 billion rupees between 2006 and 2010.

Yeddyurappa, who was forced to resign from his post by the BJP, is making efforts to make a comeback. .

Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi levelled charges against BJP President Nitin Gadkari for being soft on Yedyurappa. .

"It is ironic that on one hand Gadkari talks about fighting corruption, while on the other, he gives a clean chit to Yeddyurappa. The BJP president has said Yeddyurappa is a very respected member of the party. He has also criticised the report of the state Ombudsman that indicts Yeddyurappa by saying it is completely untrue. He has called Yeddyurappa a highly respected member of the BJP. It seems that the BJP is terrified of Yeddyurappa," Alvi told media here.

However, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman played down all prevailing speculations over the row while strongly defending Yeddyurappa.

"I want to assure you that the issue in Karnataka is not as big and serious as is being portrayed in the media. Yeddyurappa is a very popular leader in the state and in the BJP, and enjoys a very respectable position within the party," Sitharaman said.

According to reports, Yeddyurappa has served an ultimatum to the BJP central leadership and set February 27 as a deadline to reinstate him as chief minister, failing which he would decide on his course of action. (ANI)