Hours after Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa announced the names of those to be inducted into the Cabinet, he and his party were in for a major embarrassment as two party legislators — Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and A.H. Vishwanath — alleged that some had “blackmailed and bribed” him to find a place in the Ministry.
“Three people had come to me with a CD four months ago, at a guest house at Nelamangala, with a plan to make Mr. Yediyurappa step down. I was surprised that the Chief Minister’s grandnephew was also conspiring against him. Two of them have succeeded in joining the Cabinet,” alleged Mr. Yatnal. He, however, refused to disclose the contents of the purported CD.
Mr. Vishwanath also alleged that C.P. Yogeshwar, inducted on Wednesday, had “blackmailed” the Chief Minister to become a Minister. “I challenge Mr. Yediyurappa to reveal what it is that Mr. Yogeshwar was blackmailing him with,” he said.
Another MLA, Sunil Kumar, expressing his displeasure over not being made a Minister, tweeted, “I am not someone who blackmails for a post.”
Speculations were rife about what the content of the purported CD was and if it contains scandalous material that may implicate the Chief Minister and his son. Senior Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, however, dismissed the speculations. “There is no such CD. If Mr. Yatnal had become a Minister, he would not have said these things. He is speaking out of spite,” he said.
