No one has talked to me about succeeding Yediyurappa, says Pralhad Joshi

Laying to rest all speculations of him being the next CM of Karnataka, Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs, on Saturday, said that BJP's top leadership has neither spoken to him about BS Yediyurappa's exit nor of him taking over as successor. Speculations began that Joshi would be the next CM of Karnataka after Yediyurappa announced that he would abide by the instructions of the party leadership, hinting that he might exit as the Chief Minister of Karnataka.

"No one has spoken to me about it (succeeding Mr Yediyurappa). It's only the media, which is discussing it. As no one has spoken to me, there is no need to react to it," Joshi told reporters.

When asked what if he is made CM, he retorted, "I never answer hypothetical questions with 'ifs' and 'buts'.. I don't want to answer such questions." He refused to respond further, stating he is unaware of the CM being asked to resign. He added that "supreme leaders" Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, apart from the BJP leadership, led by party president JP Nadda will decide on the matter.

"There is no high command in the BJP but national leadership. We got different leaderships from time to time. There was Rajnath Singh, after which Nitin Gadkari came, who was succeeded by Amit Shah, and now JP Nadda is there. In the present situation, we have supreme leaders in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. They will decide," Joshi, Dharwad MP since 2004, said. Joshi further refused to comment on the warnings from the Lingayat community that BJP would be ruined if they removed Yediyurappa, a Lingayat strongman.