from special correspondent

Bangalore: In an exclusive interview to a private Kannada news TV channel, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has said that he has not decided about contesting the forthcoming elections.

"As of now, party organization is my top priority. Together with it, I have convinced the party high command that the interests of the farmers are more important that those of the party," he told the channel.

He stressed that he was not interested in the president's or chief minister's post and that his aim was only to bring back the party to power with a thumping majority. Saying that it was his firm pledge, he denied any plans to quit the party or float a new outfit.

He expressed his clear opposition to D V Sadananda Gowda, his one-time protege and successor as CM, being given the post of the state president. He said that all MLAs were opposed to his appointment. He said that his appointment to the post of president would put the BJP into difficulties and expressed the hope that the high command would not commit the mistake of making DVS the president.

He further said that persistent and continuous efforts had been made to pull his legs while in power and added that he had been maintaining a diary about those who sent him to jail and who conspired against him. Various aspects of his political life were depicted in the diaries, he said.

Revealing that he started the habit of writing a diary in the Parappana Agrahara jail where he had been lodged, he said that about a dozen diaries were already full. He said he had plans to bring them out in a book form.

He also said that he was confident about his party winning 150 seats in the coming elections. The high command needed to send prominent leaders to the people seeking votes. Only then the trust of the people could be won.

He pointed out that the Lingayat community was already feeling hurt and this could have a bearing on the elections. The party had to wake up to the situation before things could go out of hand, he added.

Regarding his earlier talk about leaving the party, Yeddyurappa said that he had said so when the high command acted against his interests. But then when a sense of guilt troubled him about the damage he would be doing to the very party he had built in the state, he changed his mind, he clarified.

Since there were court restrictions on his movements out of the city, he would seek its permission and tour the state. He also said that he would place before the people the achievements of the BJP government and explain to them as to how he became to scapegoat in politics.