From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Oct 30: With his government propped up by the resignation of the 17 MLAs of Congress and JD(S), who have since been disqualified, set to complete 100 days in power on November 2, chief minister B S Yediyurappa has expressed confidence of completing the remaining part of the term.

Speaking at meet the press programme in Bengaluru on Wednesday, he flatly denied that the BJP high command was trying to control him and asserted that he has been given a "freehand".

“How I have run the administration in 100 days, what all issues I have faced, you know better than me,’’ he said.

It is the duty of the chief minister and a leader to steer the administration ahead amid all this. I'm doing my duty. I'm trying to take everyone together, whether it is ruling side or opposition," Yediyurappa said.

He exuded confidence that he will be a hundred per cent successful in his efforts.

"I will complete my remaining three-and-half-year term. I'm confident about it,’’ he declared.

“I can only tell you that central leaders have confidence in me, that is the reason I have been made the chief minister of this state,’’ he said.

The chief minister said he was confident ofgetting complete cooperation from party MPs, MLAs and workers to complete the term.

Yediyurappa was responding to a question about his 100days in power not being a "happy one" with natural calamities and trouble within the party besides the party high command trying to "control him.’’

He was sworn in as chief minister for the fourth time on July 26, three days after the collapse of the Congress-JD(S) government with the defeat of the motion of confidence moved by the then chief minister H D Kumaraswamy in the assembly by 99-105 votes.

There have been several claims by opposition and sections of the media about BS Yediyurappa not completing his full term in office citing his age as the reason and also speculation about the collapse of the government and possibility of mid-term polls in the state.
Rejecting reports of attempts by the party leadership to control him, citing cabinet expansion among other things as an example, where the BJP high command allegedly had a complete say, Yediyurappa said he has been given a "freehand."

"Ours is a national party we have to work under certain limitations that is the expectation of our central leadership. But, our central leaders have not uttered even a word of opposition to decisions I have taken,’’ he said.

The Chief Minister claimed again and again that ``I have been given a free hand. There has been no obstruction so far from the cabinet or any other matter.’’

The challenge before his administration is the coming by-polls to 15 assembly constituencies in the state, Ydiyurappa said.

"We will have to win at least 12-13 seats, we will try to win all the 15 seats, that is the major challenge ahead of us. Along with that, we will have to address the needs of the people affected by floods," he said.

The by-elections to 15 of 17 seats represented by disqualified MLAs, whose resignation and absence from the trust vote led to the fall of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government, and made way for the BJP to come to power, will be held on December 5.

The then Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar had disqualified them as MLAs, ruling that those disqualified, cease to be MLAs with immediate effect till the expiry of the 15th assembly (in2023), which they have challenged in the Supreme Court, and the matter is currently being heard by the top Court.

On inducting Congress-JD(S)disqualified MLAs into the party and giving them ticket and discontent within the party against it, Yediyurappa said: "We have not taken any decision; it will all depend on what the party central leadership decides."

"The Supreme Court is likely to decide on the petition of disqualified MLAs on November 4 or 5, after that we will decide," he said.

He claimed that all sections of people were with him. “That's the reason I could become chief minister," he said.

The BJP needs to win at least six seats in the by-polls to 15 constituencies to remain in a majority in the 224-member assembly, which will still have two vacant seats-- Maski and R R Nagar.