Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Rural Development Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday asserted that he would not resign, even if BJP leaders shouted from rooftops or tore their clothes demanding his resignation.
He was speaking to reporters here. Reacting to BJP state president B Y Vijayendra’s demand for his resignation, Priyank said nobody took Vijayendra seriously in his own party. “So, why does the media take anything he says seriously?,” the minister said.
“His own party leaders say how corrupt he is and speak ill about his father B S Yediyurappa. He has not been able to take everyone along after he became state BJP president. Why is he expecting our party to listen to him?,” he said.
“There are leaders like Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, Ramesh Jarkiholi and M P Renukacharya, who challenged his leadership. Neither Vijayendra nor the BJP’s central leaders acted against them,” he said.
He also accused Vijayendra of making baseless allegations against him. “Whatever I have spoken against him or his father B S Yediyurappa is on the basis of court records or FSL reports. Has he done the same? Has he got evidence against me to prove that I am involved in any case. If so, let him produce them and then demand my resignation,” the minister said.
On Vijayendra’s statement about laying siege to his house in Kalaburagi, Priyank said, “Let him tell how many people are coming, so that I can be prepared to offer tea or coffee to them.”