A day after Tourism Minister C.P. Yogeshwar revived the debate on leadership change in Karnataka, dissident BJP legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal launched a fresh offensive against the government led by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.
Speaking to reporters after visiting Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hills here, Mr. Yatnal accused his own party’s government of indulging in unbridled corruption in various issues, including tackling COVID-19, while making out a case for replacing the Chief Minister if the BJP is to be “saved” in the Karnataka.
The BJP leader said the party high command was following the situation in the State closely and expressed confidence that a decision would soon be taken to change the leadership in the State. “It will happen soon. I am not a soothsayer,” he said, when asked when the high command would act.
Mr. Yatnal accused Mr. Yediyurappa’s son and State BJP vice-president B.Y. Vijayendra of holding negotiations for “deals” in the “drawing room” behind ‘Cauvery’, the official residence of the Chief Minister in Bengaluru. While referring to the episode involving the arrest of Social Welfare Minister B. Sriramulu’s aide recently, he sought to know why the Central Crime Branch police in Bengaluru did not summon the complainant Mr. Vijayendra and raid the “drawing room” of ‘Cauvery’.
He also accused Mr. Yediyurappa of conspiring to “finish” the emerging leadership in different communities, including the Lingayats, to promote his own son as his successor. “But the people of Karnataka will never accept such politics,” he said.
Even though there is provision to file a B-report or closure report in the case registered against former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, who resigned after a sleaze video involving him surfaced, the Chief Minister was not allowing it with the intention of “blackmailing” him, Mr. Yatnal alleged. Apart from Mr. Sriramulu and Mr. Jarkiholi, Mr. Yatnal said, Mr. Yediyurappa was also targeting Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj K.S. Eshwarappa, a leader form the Kuruba community, who has already lodged a complaint with Governor Vajubhai Vala against the Chief Minister for releasing funds from his department after bypassing him.
Mr. Yatnal also trained his guns on the Opposition leaders for allegedly “joining hands” with the government in “looting” the State and against mutt heads for standing by Mr. Yediyurappa. “If the mutt heads were interested in playing politics, they should discard their saffron robes and don khadi clothes,” he remarked.
He said the Opposition leaders were silent against the corruption in the government as they were also “party to sharing the spoils”. Saying that the “Opposition” in Karnataka was dead, he described himself, BJP MLC A.H. Vishwanath, and Mr. Yogeshwar as the true opposition in the State. Later, Mr. Yatnal met Mr. Vishwanath at a hotel in the city.
