BJP MLA hits back at party, says people working against CM Yediyurappa

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was again attacked by its own MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who said on Wednesday that some people in the party were trying to end both his and chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s careers.

Yatnal’s statement comes after he was issued a show-cause notice last week for hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party MPs for the delay in releasing central aid to the flood affected state.

Yatnal said people were asking how Bihar received interim relief even before a central team visited the state. “We got money only 60 days after the floods. This is not something I am saying, these are the feelings of the people,” he said.

Even after the people of the state had elected 25 MPs in the Lok Sabha polls, there was a delay in releasing flood relief, Yatnal said. “The Prime Minister and union home minister should grant me time to speak about this and about the conspiracy to destabilise the state government,” he said.

“Even at 76 years age Yediyurappa is visiting villages, but some people are creating trouble sitting in New Delhi,” Yatnal told reporters, referring to MPs from the state.

“Name a new leader because he has turned 76, and he has to resign as per our rules, instead of holding back relief, naming Yediyurappa’s rivals as office bearers,” Yatnal said. “I urge the national president to call for a meeting and let them sit face to face… You have the strength to counsel Yediyurappa… the whole country has accepted your leadership.”

He said Yediyurappa should be counseled if he has erred. However, he said, some people had hatched a conspiracy to end the chief minister’s career. “We built this party village by village in the 90s, and Yediyurappa and [late] HN Ananth Kumar built this party working day and night,” he said.

“You decide not to give ticket to Ananth Kumar’s family members, and now you want to finish Yediyurappa. It is not written in any Constitution that party workers should watch this as mute spectators, it is a democratic country and our behaviour is democratic,” said a defiant Yatnal.

Responding to the statement, party state spokesperson S Prakash said there need be no concern about Yediyurappa. “He has been made the chief minister and he is irreplaceable so there shouldn’t be any doubt that he enjoys the party’s complete support,” Prakash said. He added that the party would take a call on Yatnal’s statement.

Former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said if Yatnal’s statement was true then it would be better for the state if mid term polls were held. “I managed to do some work at least in my 14-month stint. Looking at Yatnal’s statement I think it would be better to go for mid term polls and get a proper government,” he said.