The government on Saturday ordered that the former chief minister be extended all facilities that are applicable to a cabinet-rank minister. These were supposed to apply as long as Bommai was chief minister.
The government action and the swift reaction from Yediyurappa’s office on Sunday led to all kinds of speculations in the BJP and the government, but the official sources dismissed them as unfounded.
The chief minister had discussed the subject with his former boss before ordering the facilities, but an interpretation in sections of the media that Bommai’s gesture was intended to help Yediyurappa retain his official bungalow Cauvery apparently upset the ex-CM. He did an about-face on Sunday and requested his office to write to the government declining the facilities.
The BJP veteran leader’s action suggested he may be planning to move out of the official bunglow now that he has turned down Bommai’s officer. A former chief minister can stay for about three months after demitting office in his or her official residence. An overstay after this will attract monthly rent for a few months, but that concession too will end after some time, and the occupant will have to move out, an official said.
But sources close to Yediyurappa said he will continue to stay there taking a leaf out of the example set by Congress leader Siddaramaiah. The Congress leader had continued to stay in Cauvery after demitting office following electoral rout in 2018 after getting the residence allotted to then minister KJ George.
The government will now allot the bunglow to Bommai, and he will let Yediyurappa to continue to stay there, sources said. A former chief minister gets protocol such as police escort.