Bengaluru, July 22: It will be the end of an era if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tries to replace Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, former Karnataka Minister and senior Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa said on Wednesday.

While speaking to the media amid rumours of a change in the state's leadership, the Congress leader added that the veteran BJP leader had the support of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa Dismisses Rumours About His Resignation, Says ‘Not at All True’.

"Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa should continue as CM. The BJP high command must let him continue to hold the post, Veerashaiva-Lingayat community will stand in support of Yediyurappa. If the BJP tries to change him, an era will end," Shivashankarappa said.

The 78-year-old Yediyurappa visited Delhi earlier this week and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other party leaders, including national president JP Nadda and union ministers Amit Shah and Rajanath Singh.

Earlier on Saturday, Yediyurappa strongly denied having tendered his resignation amid speculation about leadership change in Karnataka.

"There is no truth in it... Not at all, not at all.." Yediyurappa told reporters in Delhi when asked if he had resigned, adding that in the meeting with PM Modi, only Karnataka's development was discussed.

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)