After denial, Yatnal responds to showcause notice, demands BYV be replaced

Bengaluru: After initially denying that he had received a show-cause notice from the party’s central committee, senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal is learnt to have submitted a detailed response to the notice.

It is said Yatnal has demanded that the BJP’s central leaders must ‘select a capable leader’ who can take everyone along to replace Vijayendra as the state party president. He also demanded that the party put an end to ‘dynastic rule’ in the state unit.

Yatnal is learnt to have sent his reply well within the time specified, though he continued to take a defiant stand in front of the media. The legislator, in his reply, said he had not indulged in any anti-party activity, but was only airing concerns of several disgruntled workers who are fed up with Vijayendra’s ‘style of functioning’.

“Vijayendra is not a team player and has built his own coterie. Due to this, a section of leaders and workers is feeling completely ignored. This will not do any good to the party,” the reply reportedly said.

Waqf agitation

“I led the agitation against Waqf well within the party’s framework and it was taken positively by the central leaders in Delhi. It was meant to build the party and not damage it in any manner,” it said. He also pointed out that the ruling Congress was handing a new issue every day, but due to lack of unity in the state unit, the BJP under Vijayendra had failed miserably in encashing it.

“If things are not set right now, the party may fail to achieve its larger goal of winning a majority in next Assembly elections. Therefore, it has become all the more important to have a capable leader to lead the party here,” the reply said.