Yeddyurappa hints at leaving BJP

Upset at being neglected by the

top brass after his ouster as Chief Minister, Karnataka BJP

strongman B S Yeddyurappa today dropped clear hints of leaving

the party, saying he was facing a 'suffocating environment' in

it."I am facing a suffocating environment in the party. I am

waiting for an opportune time to decide my future. I will take

a decision on completing my ongoing second leg of tour in

parts of the state by December end," he told reporters here.Yeddyurappa, who is unlikely to attend the BJP National

Executive at Haryana from December 27, said he would take a

decision on his future plans in December.He defended the delay in announcing a decision on his

political future, saying any decision at this stage would rock

the government headed by Jagadish Shettar, whom he installed

as Chief Minister.Yeddyurappa said he does not aspire for any position in

the party or that of state unit president. "I have asked my

supporters not to lobby with the high command for any position

for me. I will not accept the state unit party post, even if

the party offers it to me," he said."If at all I have to become Chief Minister again, I will

become with the blessings of the people," Yeddyurappa, who was

forced to quit in July last year after a Lokayukta report on

illegal mining indicted him, said."In fact after I quit,I have been working as a ruling

party member and also as opposition party member. It is my

hard stand that ensured waiver of Rs 3200 crore loans to

farmers. It is on my call the KSRTC strike ended and the

government found a solution to the garbage problem in the

city," Yeddyurappa, who announced plans to tour 50

constituencies in the coming days, said.He reminded party bosses of his efforts in the last 40

years to build BJP in the state from a strength of two MLAs to

121 and said he had played a pivotal role in installing the

first-ever saffron party government in the South.He took a jibe at Deputy Chief Minister K S Eswarappa,who

is also continuing as state unit party chief,saying he has the

onus to bring back the party to power. "He should quit the

ministry and devote his energy to strengthening the party".On the Cauvery issue, he slammed Prime Minister Manmohan

Singh for directing Karnataka at the Cauvery River Water

Authority meet in Delhi to release 9,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu.He alleged that Singh had done so to please Tamil Nadu

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to save his 'minority government'

by secuing AIADMK's support.