The ironic political life of BS Yeddyurappa

It is one of the more bitter ironies in the political career of BS Yeddyurappa , who has offered to quit as Karnataka's chief minister. He has emerged as a villain on an issue - unlawful mining - on which he was trying very hard to emerge as a hero.
 
Last year, he banned exports of iron ore from the mineral-rich district of Bellary in order to combat unauthorised ore mining.

Yes, he wooed the likes of ArcelorMittal , Posco and the Tatas to set up steel plants in Karnataka so that locals had better job opportunities. He released numbers on the extent of iron ore illegally exported from Karnataka.

But at the end of it all, a few indiscretions have cost him his image and credibility, and his job.
 
For instance, an educational trust run by his family members accepted Rs 10 crore donation from South West Mining, which also grossly overpaid for a plot it bought from the chief minister's children. This was in return for a favour. According to documents, JSW Steel, India's marquee steel producer, also may have received illegal favours.
 
Ironically, it was Yeddyurappa who first wrote to the Prime Minister in July last year, drawing his attention to the rampant illegal mining in Karnataka and calling for a policy to ban export of ore. In hindsight, he could have joined hands with law-breakers and looked the other way from the mining issue and benefited more. To be fair to him, he did act with a firm hand against others, but evidently erred when it came to his personal integrity.
 
To all those following Karnataka affairs, the 25,228-page Lokayukta report, submitted to the government and governor by Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde, does not say much that the people aren't already aware of. Many of these documents were already in the public domain, released by former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. In one of these, even the governor has issued sanction orders to prosecute Yeddyurappa. But the allegations acquired sanctity and importance when they became part of an enquiry report. Although many may not remember, it was Yeddyurappa who asked Lokayukta to research the issue of illegal mining and submit a report suggesting how the government could control it.
 
The report is still under wraps, but the contents will be out sooner or later, as it comes under the Right to Information Act.  The business community has been keeping an even keener eye on Karnataka developments than the political elite.  The report names about 100 mining companies as beneficiaries in the mining racket. Now, every mining company is hoping not to see its name in the report, which estimates the loss to the State exchequer at Rs 16,085 crore between 2006 and 2010.