Gadkari promised that Gowda was a temporary CM: Yeddyurappa

Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who turned 69 on Monday, expressed disappointment over not getting the chief minister's position back and said that he won't ask for any position in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from now.

"Nitin Gadkari promised that DV Sadananda Gowda was a temporary chief minister and that he would make me the chief minister again at an appropriate time. It led to all kinds of speculation in Karnataka. I have now decided not to demand any position in the party in future," Yeddyurappa said.

He added that he will continue working as an ordinary BJP worker.

Yeddyurappa has set a February 27 deadline for Gadkari to consider his and his supporters demand to reinstate him as chief minister or give him a top position in state party unit.

However, Gadkari has categorically ruled out any change in the leadership of Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda.

Yeddyurappa, who belongs to the Lingayat community, is reportedly unhappy with Gowda and state BJP chief KS Eshwarappa for allegedly not inviting him for Lingayat conventions held recently. He alleged, without naming anyone, that some party leaders were out to divide the Lingayat community.

Yeddyurappa held a show of strength with more than 50 MLAs attending a meeting called by him earlier this week.

He also was able to win over Rural Development Minister Jagadish Shettar and Home Minister R Ashoka who were in the rival camp when he backed Gowda to succeed him after being forced to quit as Chief Minister in August last over his indictment in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining.

In an apparent move to save any possible embarrassment, the party had on February 24 curtailed its two-day session to less than a day but maintained that it was done to devote more time to the March 18 Udupi-Chikamagalur Lok Sabha by-poll.

However, sources close to Yeddyurappa said the party's 'Chinthan Manthan' was cancelled as his supporters were threatening to boycott the second day of the event.

(With additional information from PTI)