Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, whose Government is rattled by repeated demands of dissidents for his ouster, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday after reaching here with his son, State BJP Vice-president B Y Vijayendra, in a special flight.
Yediyurappa, 78, the only BJP Chief Minister or party leader holding top post despite crossing the official party cut-off date of 75 years for retirement, is not keen to say quits yet though his detractors in the party want him to go.
Asked about whether there was any discussion about the leadership change in the State, Yediyurappa said after his meeting with the Prime Minister " I have no idea, if you have any information, please tell me...", he said.
The meeting between the two lasted 30-minutes.
The Chief Minister , who has completed two-year anniversary of his fourth term ,said he discussed State's development issues with the Prime Minister.
BJP is wary of asking the 'Lingyat strongman ' to step-down as it is him who had cobbled-up a majority BJP government in Karnataka by roping in CongressJDS MLAs in 2019.
The clout of Yediyurappa with the Modi-Government was reflected in the July 7 reshuffle in the union cabinet with five from Karnataka, including one of his close associate Shobha Karandlaje finding place in the council of Ministers.
However, many dissident ministers have accused his son of running a 'parallel' government in Karnataka while the Chief Minister not seen in the best of his health.
Before meeting Modi , Yediyurappa attended a virtual meeting by the former with Chief Ministers of six states to discuss the Covid-19 situation. Yediyurappa last visited BJP central leadership here in January when he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda and extracted comments that he would continue in the seat of power.
Next Assembly poll in Karnataka are due in 2023 and his 'loyalists' insist that he would last her current term.