BJP member B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday announced that there is no doubt about his retirement from public life and said that he will continue to work for the party in Karnataka and the nation as long as he has strength.
Addressing a large gathering at the ‘Abhimanotsava’ event in Chitradurga (felicitations on his 50 years in politics), Yeddyurappa described the occasion as a celebration of “five decades of common struggle” with the people of Karnataka and BJP workers.
He credited farmers, party cadres and the public for his political rise from Shikaripura to the Prime Minister’s Office.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah traveled from Kolkata to Chitradurga to attend the event.
Shah said Yeddyurappa had proven that those who declared that the BJP would never form a government in south India were wrong.
Not retiring ’till my last breath’: Yediyurappa
“I say again and again that until the last breath of my life, there is no doubt about retirement. The word ‘retirement’ does not exist for me. As long as God gives me strength, I will continue to work faithfully for the organization, the party, the state and the nation,” Yeddyurappa said.
The senior BJP leader said the event is not about honoring an individual but about recognizing a collective political and social journey spanning 50 years.
“This is not a celebration of an individual. This is a celebration of five decades of our shared journey, of the struggles we have faced together, the victories we have achieved together, and the endurance we have shown with the people of Karnataka,” he said.
Yeddyurappa praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, stressing that India has achieved a new global status under their leadership.
Referring to the recent political developments in West Bengal, he claimed that free and fair elections have not been held there for decades and described the electoral gains made by the BJP in the state as a “victory for India”.
“Holding such successful elections in West Bengal is not just a victory for democracy, it is a victory for India itself. The combined strength of Modi and Shah has impressed millions of Indians,” he said.
Describing Shah as a leader working alongside Modi to strengthen the nation, Yeddyurappa said the Home Minister’s presence in Chitradurga, despite political connections elsewhere, reflects his commitment to Karnataka and BJP cadres.
“Today, Amit Shah ji did not just come to congratulate me on the occasion of Abhimanotsava. He came to send a message that this country is safe, and that we will deal firmly with every internal and external challenge facing the nation,” he said.
Yeddyurappa used the occasion to narrate his political journey, from imprisonment during the Emergency to grassroots mobilization of farmers and the rise of the BJP in Karnataka.
He said that he entered public life as a common man without privileges and built his career through struggles that represent the hardships faced by common people.
“Your Yediyurappa did not enter public life carrying a silver spoon. As a common man among common people, through unexpected turns in life, I dedicated myself to serving the people of this state,” he said.
The senior BJP leader also reiterated his ideological roots in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and said he was proud to have been influenced by its values.
“I proudly say that I am an RSS worker and I have been shaped by the directives and values imparted by the RSS,” he said.
Yeddyurappa said Modi should continue to lead the country for at least another decade and added that Amit Shah should continue in his role in nation building and internal security.
“This sends a message to us that if we want our people to rise to greater heights, Prime Minister Modi must continue to lead this country for at least another ten years,” he said.
Yeddyurappa also assured Shah that the people of Karnataka stand united behind the vision of ‘Vixit Bharat’ (developed India) and pledged to travel across the state to garner public support for the BJP and the Centre’s developmental agenda.
“I will travel the length and breadth of Karnataka and reach out to the people and seek their blessings to strengthen the nation,” he said.
