Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and former Union Minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has yet again launched an attack on Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and his son B.Y. Vijayendra.
Ahead of the State visit of BJP national general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh, scheduled for Wednesday, Mr. Yatnal alleged that Mr. Yediyurappa’s family was engaged in “large-scale corruption”. “They are bringing a bad name to the State government and the BJP,” he said in Vijayapura on Monday.
“Around 30 members of Yediyurappa’s family are living in Kaveri, the Chief Minister’s official residence. These relatives include his children and grandchildren. They are taking bribes to sanction projects and to transfer officials. The main person behind all this is B.Y. Vijayendra. Yediyurappa is helpless as he is old and weak. These relatives were nowhere to be seen when Yediyurappa was the Opposition leader and at other times. There was only a cook and an assistant with him in those days. These relatives have gathered around him only for power,” he said.
Responding to a statement by Mr. Vijayendra that the Chief Minister was working in an environment surrounded by snakes and scorpions, Mr. Yatnal said such venomous creatures were in the Chief Minister’s house itself and not elsewhere. “Vijayendra is running the government virtually. MLAs who have met him complain that they have to stand before him as there is no second chair in his chamber. They are all keeping quiet as they are after power. I am not after power. I am not speaking against the CM or his family because I have not been made a Minister. Agitating against injustice is my nature,” he said.
‘Not received notice’
He also described himself as a follower of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “who is against nepotism”, and former Prime Minister the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, “who was against corruption all his life”. “I am following in their footsteps. The party cannot take any action against me as I have not violated any party discipline. Only the media is worried about reports of a notice issued to me and its implications. Some TV channels have claimed that the notice gave me a big shock. I am not shocked in any way. In fact, I have not got any notice till now,” he claimed.
“When Yediyurappa toured Vijayapura in the past, I paid for his fuel expenses. We have built the party, but the Chief Minister’s family members are enjoying the power,” he said.
Recategorisation
He also said that Mr. Yediyurappa had announced in the campaign for the Kalaburagi byelection that he would ensure that Adi Banajiga and Panchamasali communities would be recategorised as 2A. “But he has forgotten his promise. If he announces that this will be done on a particular date, I will felicitate him,” he said.
Published - February 16, 2021 02:27 am IST
