Karnataka CM row: No change for now, says Gowda

New Delhi, Mar 22 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Sadanand Gowda on Thursday told media that there would be no change of leadership in the state for now.

Interacting with media after a meeting with senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Gowda said: " I am specifically informing you, that the central (BJP) leadership has told me that there will be no leadership change in the (Karnataka) state."

Gowda, was speaking even as the central BJP leadership is scheduled to meet former CM B S Yeddyurappa at 2 p.m.

The BJP central leadership had forced Yeddyurappa to quit in July 2011 after he was indicted by the Lokayukta report on illegal mining.Former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde's inquiry into mining graft in Karnataka had accused Yeddyurappa and other key officials for causing a loss of at least 160 billion rupees to the state exchequer between 2006 and 2010.

Yeddyurappa tendered his resignation on July 31 following allegations of corruption. he Karnataka High Court had earlier this month granted a major relief to Yeddyurappa by setting aside the former Lokayukta's report on illegal mining, which indicted him.

The court also quashed the permission to register an FIR, granted by Karnataka Governor H. R. Bhardwaj, against Yeddyurappa.

The High Court shot down the Yeddyurappa section of the Lokayukta report on the ground that he was not given an opportunity to defend himself, and that there was no evidence of favours granted or misuse of his position.

Following the High Court's judgement, Yeddyurappa has stepped up his demand for reinstatement as chief minister. (ANI)