Bharatiya Janata Party State president B.S. Yeddyurappa has shot off a letter to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, offering to bear the expenses of the helicopter ride he undertook to Ilkal from here when he was the Chief Minister for two days recently.
Mr. Kumaraswamy had reportedly objected to the costly helicopter charges for Mr. Yeddyurappa’s journey. Taking exception to this, Mr. Yeddyurappa said in the letter that he used the helicopter as an emergency measure to pay last respects to Mahanta Shivayogi Swami of Ilkal on May 21. While returning to Bengaluru, he had also met the family of a farmer who had committed suicide at Channagiri in Davangere district to offer his condolences.
Maintaining that it was his duty as the head of the government to visit both the places, Mr. Yeddyurappa alleged that Mr. Kumaraswamy was trying to mislead people by raising objections to his travel costs. He offered to bear the helicopter ride charges and said that he was pained by the Chief Minister’s objections.
CM’s response
Responding to the letter, Mr. Kumaraswamy said his government had not reached a situation wherein he should depend on Mr. Yeddyurappa to pay for the helicopter ride charges.