Cong stages dharna demanding Yeddyurappa's resignation

BANGALORE: The Opposition Congress today staged a dharna here demanding immediate resignation by Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, against whom a local court has ordered a probe into allegations of corruption.

The Congress leaders and activists who assembled in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue here raised slogans against Yeddyurappa for "clinging to power".

Addressing the gathering, KPCC President G Parameshwara said Yeddyurappa should have quit soon after his involvement in land scams surfaced.

"Yeddyurappa should quit on moral grounds immediately after Lokayukta Police registers an FIR against him", he demanded.

Lokayukta Police is probing allegations of corruption in denotification of lands levelled against Yeddyurappa and others.

The action follows a directive from the 23rd Additional Civil and Session Court on Thursday ordering investigation into one of the complaints it had registered against Yeddyurappa. The court had directed Lokayuta Police to file its report by May 4.

Parameshwara charged that the BJP high command "had stood by corrupt Yeddyurappa" as they were also getting a share in the corruption.

Opposition Congress leader Siddaramaiah said Yeddyurappa should have resigned after the Governor H R Bhardwaj granted sanction to prosecute him on a complaint lodged by two advocates relating to alleged irregularities in denotification of land.