New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) B.S. Yeddyurappa, who resigned as chief minister of Karnataka Sunday afternoon, said he quit to uphold the discipline of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

‘As a disciplined soldier of the party, I have stepped down as the chief minister,’ Yeddyurappa read out from a statement at Raj Bhavan premises soon after submitting his resignation to Governor H.R. Bhardwaj.

Yeddyurappa, indicted by the Lokayukta in the illegal mining scam in the state, listed the developmental and social security measures initiated by his government in the past two years. He said he had no regrets and had always been a disciplined party functionary during the past 40 years.

Adding to the drama of the past three days and displaying a show of strength before submitting his resignation, Yeddyurappa walked the distance from his residence to Raj Bhavan, accompanied by about 60 BJP legislators and scores of other supporters.