Bangalore, July 30 (PTI): Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa today said he would resign tomorrow amid a buzz that he may have a say in the choice of his successor but would not be made the state BJP chief.

Yeddyurappa, 68, made the fresh affirmation to quit, falling in line with the party’s stand, as BJP central observers Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh were locked in consultations to choose the next chief minister in the first state ruled by the party in the south.

According to BJP sources, Yeddyurappa will have a say in the selection of the new chief minister, but the central leadership made it clear that his demand to be made the president of the state unit was unacceptable.

The sources said the central leadership told Yeddyurappa that since he was being allowed a say on his successor, he would have to give up his demand of becoming the state unit chief, which would mean K.S. Easwarappa may be allowed to continue.

In an effort to end the speculation on whether or not he would step down, Yeddyurappa released a statement today.

“Even now, some media (groups) are misleading the public that I am not resigning…I, hereby, again clarify that I am submitting my resignation on the afternoon of 31-3-2011,” his statement, read out by loyalist Basavaraj Bommai, said.

Asked if Yeddyurappa’s demands were accepted by the party high command, water resources minister Bommai said the chief minister had a closed-door meeting with Jaitley and Rajnath and he did not know what had transpired between them.

“…but certainly talks are going on in the right way... positive way. Everything will be solved,” Bommai said.

Sources close to Yeddyurappa said the chief minister had asked governor H.R. Bhardwaj for an appointment tomorrow anytime after 1pm when the inauspicious time, according to the astrological calendar, gets over. He will then tender his resignation.

Yeddyurappa has reportedly suggested some names for his successor’s job and said as long as a choice was made from this list he would not object. Among the front-runners are law and justice minister Suresh Kumar S., Udipi MP Sadanand Gowda and higher education minister V.S. Acharya.

Kumar is said to be a leader with a clean image who is close to the RSS. However, he is considered a lightweight.