Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde has said chief minister B S Yeddyurappa's family got illegal payoffs from a mining company to hasten clearance of pending applications. Not just this, he has recommended criminal proceedings against Yeddyurappa and some of his ministers.

Yeddyurappa called a meeting of his close associates Thursday morning, shortly after the BJP decided on his ouster.

Even as BJP bosses have officially asked Yeddyurappa to step down, the Karnataka chief minister is defiant and is threatening to play spoil sport for the party.

Former state BJP president D V Sadananda Gowda is seen as a dark horse.