Bengaluru : The BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa Saturday quit as Chief Minister just before a trust vote that, many said, he had a good chance of losing. Till an hour before the Supreme Court-ordered floor test, there was commotion over two Congress lawmakers who were missing from the assembly in the morning.

The Congress alleged that they had been “held captive” by a BJP desperate for numbers, and also released a series of audio tapes that it claimed proved that attempts were being made to bribe lawmakers. In an emotional speech before his resignation, Mr Yeddyurappa said it was his dream to be Chief Minister at a time PM Narendra Modi is leading the nation.

Sources told that the decision had been taken by the BJP leadership that did not want any taint of horse-trading on the party in an election year.