Left joins chorus for Yeddyurappa's resignation

"It's a very serious indictment and I think during this serious indictment the Chief Minister should not continue in his office," Rajya Sabha member and CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechuri told reporters here.

Asked about developments in Karnataka, Yechuri said, "We have been saying this earlier, and now our apprehensions have been proved by the Lokayukta's report. I think there is no moral authority left in the Karnataka Chief Minister to continue in his office."

Asking BJP to take a firm stand, Yechuri said, "We hope the BJP will take this decision, because otherwise its credibility in the fight against corruption is also very severely compromised."

In Karnataka, the state Lokayukta Justice Santosh N Hegde today said he has given "substantive" and "voluminous" evidence against Yeddyurappa in illegal mining scam which has cost the state exchequer Rs 1800 crore in a period of 14 months.

Terming the illegal mining scam as a "huge racket", Hegde said, "In the time period of 14 months, it is more than Rs 1800 crore.The time period is between March 2009 to May 2010. It is loss to the state exchequer".