Thus began his downfall - from being the tallest BJP leader in Karnataka he now lives with the dubious distinction of becoming the first former chief minister of the state to be jailed for corruption.
He spent over 20 days in Bangalore's central prison in October-November last year in connection with corruption in an alleged illegal land deal, in which his two sons, B.Y. Raghavendra, a BJP Lok Sabha member from Shimoga, and B. Y. Vijayendra and son-in-law R. N. Sohan Kumar are also accused.
Though born in Mandya district, Yeddyurappa made Shimoga district, about 280 km from here, his political base and entered the assembly for the first time from Shikaripura in that district in 1983. He has been representing the constituency since then, losing only once in 1999.
From the beginning, Yeddyurappa's tenure as chief minister was not a smooth affair.
There were three rebellions and various scandals including one minister, Haratalu Halappa, resigning after he was charged with raping his friend's wife in Shimoga.
The mining scam involving the Reddy brothers - G. Janardhana, G. Karunakara and their associate B. Sriramulu, who were ministers in the Yeddyurappa cabinet - followed.
In January last year Governor H.R. Bhardwaj shook the BJP and Yeddyurappa by granting permission to two Bangalore advocates to launch criminal proceedings against him for illegally denotifying (freeing government land) in and around Bangalore for monetary gains.
The two advocates, Sirajin Basha and N.K. Balaraj have filed five cases, in two of which Yeddyurappa was sent to jail by Lokayukta special court judge N. K. Sudhindra Rao.
The former chief minister begins new political journey even as he battles these cases in the courts here. He has been asserting that he is innocent and will prove in the courts.
Yeddyurappa has three daughters, Arunadevi, Padmavati and Umadevi.
His wife Mytradevi died under mysterious circumstances in 2004. Her body was found in a well near their house in Shimoga.
