Why should I quit; did nothing wrong: K'taka CM

BANGALORE: A combative Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today ruled out his resignation, maintaining that he has not committed anything wrong, even as he said the BJP will expose in Lok Sabha "scams" involving opposition JD-S supremo H D Devegowda and his party.

Returning from Delhi, where BJP's Core Committee last night discussed allegations of land scams against him and the options before it, he insisted that there is no question of change in leadership in the remaining two-and-half-years of the state government's term.

Talking to the media in the northern Karnataka town of Hubli, Yeddyurappa said, "Why should I (resign)? There is no offence from my side. I have not committed any mistake."

The Chief Minister said a retired Supreme Court judge would conduct the probe into denotification of land since 1994 and he would be asked to submit his report within six months.

He said the party fought elections in Karnataka under his leadership and he would complete his term. If the party wants to fight the next elections under someone else's leadership, "I am going to support (that person) fully".

Yeddyurappa said he was ready to quit politics if the judicial inquiry finds he has committed anything wrong.

The Chief Minister said he would provide to BJP MPs all information on allegations against him, as well as those pertaining to the alleged "scams" of Devegowda and his son and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

"There should be discussion in detail in Parliament. It should not be like shouting and running away," he said as he accused opposition Congress and JD-S of targeting him to cover up their "scams".