Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai Monday hinted that BS Yediyurappa was not removed from the chief minister's post in the manner Indira Gandhi removed Congress chief ministers during her premiership.

The Opposition leader Siddaramaiah during the debate in the Assembly regarding the price rise said that it is likely that Yediyurappa was laughing at the chief ministers reply.

Intervening Siddaramaiah's remarks, Yediyurappa lauded the reply of Bommai on price rise. "Of late, I have not heard a better speech than Bommai's. He has prepared his speech very well which was laced with facts and figures. I congratulate him for this," he said.

In reply, Siddaramaiah said it was but natural for Yediyurappa to praise and pat the back of Bommai because of his efforts the Hubbali-Dharwad MLA became the chief minister.

"There is an idiom which is very famous. It goes like this: Parents love their offspring even if it happens to be a bandicoot," he said.
Chief Minister Bommai hit back saying that there were bandicoots in the Congress too.

"It is inappropriate to compare myself with Yediyurappa, because he is not just appreciated in the House, but by people of the state," he said.

However, an adamant Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of mercilessly removing Yediyurappa from the chief minister's post by giving a lame excuse of old age.

"When Yediyurappa assumed the charge of the chief minister, he had already crossed 75 years of age," he said. Whatever reason one may give for Yediyurappa's removal, people cannot be fooled, Siddaramaiah said.

In reply, Bommai said Indira Gandhi used to change chief ministers like one changes clothes several times a day.

Ramesh Kumar asked whether the BJP removed Yediyurappa in the way Bommai talked about Indira Gandhi. "Did Yediyurappa give his resignation according to his wish," he asked.

To this Yediyurappa said without anybody's pressure, he had resigned from the post of chief minister on July 26 to give others a chance to hold the August office.

"It was the collective decision of the party to make Bommai the chief minister. I suggested his name and others signed accordingly," he said.

"Bommai will complete his full term as the chief minister and I will make efforts to help BJP regain power and make you (Siddaramaiah) sit in the opposition again," Yediyurappa added.