Hegde to submit report on illegal mining tomorrow

Bangalore: Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde will submit to the state government tomorrow his report on illegal mining that indicts Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, raising questions on his continuing to head the only BJP government in the south. Adopting a wait and watch approach, the BJP central leadership today made it clear that it will go through the voluminous report before taking any decision. [caption id=“attachment_48818” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The report, running into over 4,000 pages, is slated to be handed over to Chief Secretary SV Ranganath. Reuters”]  [/caption] “As stated by our party president, we will wait for the Lokayukta report before taking any decision,” BJP spokerperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said in Delhi. The report, running into over 4,000 pages, is slated to be handed over to Chief Secretary SV Ranganath. Much of the findings are already in public domain after last week’s leak that indicted Yeddyurappa and four Ministers, among others. Yeddyurappa, who rode out the storm earlier—whether it’s challenge to his leadership by dissidents or allegations of de-notification of land—in his three-year tenure, said he would study the report and will “take appropriate action”. Besides Yeddyurappa, the Lokayukta’s final report on illegal mining has indicted four Ministers including Reddy brothers — G Janardhana and G Karunakara — and B Sriramulu, all from mineral-rich Bellary district. The findings put the loss to state exchequer because of illegal mining between March 2009 and April 2010 at more than Rs 1,800 crore. Yeddyurappa, who held confabulations with loyalist ministers and senior party leaders today, put up a brave front saying he would continue as Chief Minister for another two years, till the end of his term, but also said he would abide by the decision of the party high-command. PTI