BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa and former minister R. Ashok at an event in Bengaluru on Wednesday

Bengaluru: In a move which smacks of a witch-hunt, the state government announced on Wednesday that a Special Leave Petition (SLP) would be filed in the Supreme Court against the Karnataka high court’s decision to quash 16 cases of denotification of land involving former chief minister and newly appointed BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa.

Law minister T.B. Jayachandra told the media here that Karnataka Lokayukta had filed 16 cases against Mr Yeddyurappa based on a report submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

The high court, however, quashed 16 of the total 18 cases. The Lokayukta had recommended that an appeal be filed in the apex court against the high court's order.

Based on such a recommendation, the state home department too had favoured a SLP in the Supreme Court. Accordingly, the government had decided to file the SLP through its advocate, Mr Aristotle, in the apex court, Mr Jayachandra added.

The law minister’s recent statement that the government was ready to extend all help to any individual or organisation to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against Mr Yeddyurappa for his alleged involvement in cases of de-notification of land, had attracted caustic criticism from opposition parties, in particular the BJP.

The saffron party has already given enough hints that Yeddyurappa will be its chief ministerial candidate for the 2018 polls.