The differences between Shivananda Patil, MLA from Basavanabagewadi, and District in-charge Minister M.B. Patil have surfaced once again with the former accusing the latter of getting him sidelined in the party. Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Mr. Shivananda said that Mr. Patil was now taking the help of Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, MLC, to target him.
Playing two audio clips of the speeches made by Mr. Yatnal on two different occasions— one last year and the other a couple of days ago in Babaleshwar constituency of Mr. Patil— Mr. Shivananda said that Mr. Yatnal, who was once a strong critic of Mr. Patil, was now showering praises on him.
“In the first speech, Mr. Yatnal had bashed Mr. Patil … now the same person is sharing the stage with Mr. Patil and is praising him. Not just that, he is also targeting me,” Mr. Shivananda said.
In one of the audio recordings, Mr. Yatnal was heard saying “it was better to believe those who give water than those who give liquor.” Mr. Patil is the Irrigation Minister and Mr. Shivananda owns one of the oldest liquor shops in the city.
“There was no need for Mr. Yatnal to mention my liquor shop in his speech … I run a legal business by paying excise duty. When Mr. Yatnal was targeting me, Mr. Patil did not react. This shows that Mr. Patil was trying to target me with the help of Mr. Yatnal,” he further said.
He said that Mr. Yatnal, who is known for creating communal divide in the district for his political gains , has now become a close friend of Mr. Patil, Mr. Shivananda said.
Mr. Shivananda said that the district lost out on another berth in the Cabinet in the recent reshuffle because of Mr. Patil, “who doesn’t wish to lose his grip over the district.”
Questioning the claim of Mr. Patil’s mass appeal, Mr. Shivananda said, “If he is so much popular, then let him contest from a different Assembly constituency.”
Asked whether he was contemplating to quit the Congress as he had been accusing the party of neglecting him, Mr. Shivananda said that he would divulge his future plans only before the next Assembly polls.
Shivananda Patil releases two audio clips of the speeches made by Yatnal to support his allegation
