<p>BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal on Friday warned people against bogus assurances of being given candidature in exchange of money and urged them not to fall prey to promises of being made a chief minister if they paid a huge sum.</p>.<p>While speaking at a convention of Lingayat Panchamasali community on Thursday, Yatnal claimed that some people from New Delhi had come to him with an offer to make him the chief minister if he paid Rs 2,500 crore. "They had also assured me candidature for the Assembly election and meetings with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and BJP president J P Nadda," he said.</p>.<p>Yatnal said when that offer was made, he asked, "Where should I keep it? Can it be kept in a room or godown?"</p>.<p>He said many people in politics get cheated with such assurances of candidature. "I have worked under former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as well as Lal Krishna Advani, Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley. How can such a person be asked to keep Rs 2,500 crore ready to become chief minister?"</p>.<p>He asked people in the community not to hurt their political prospects by falling prey to such assurances. "Many people say 'we will take you to Sonia Gandhi or J P Nadda’s residence'. Such things keep on happening in politics and one needs to be cautious," he said.</p>.<p>"As elections approach, all kinds of activities come to the fore. Some conduct mass marriages or get 151 couples married at a go with the ambition to contest the Assembly election. Notebook distribution, ‘<em>tali bhagya</em>’ and other activities too are seen happening. We need to see what ‘<em>bhagya</em>’ comes during the election year and who brings it. Accept all goodies that are offered, but vote for those who give you a good future," Yatnal said.</p>.<p>He also added that the election year sees the birth of social workers too.</p>.<p>"I do not give money. People vote for me as they know that while I shout in the face, I will not backstab anyone. I do not trouble anybody. The assembly constituency represented by me was not lesser than Pakistan. They (Muslims) have one lakh votes, we have 1.50 lakh votes. Our people did not come out to vote but they realised that if they did not come out to vote, the constituency would become Pakistan, so vote for me," Yatnal said.</p>.<p>Yatnal also demanded 2A reservation for the community at Ramdurg. The video of which went viral on Friday.</p>.<p>Regarding the reservation demand for the Lingayat Panchamasali community, he said that one seer has accepted Rs 10 crore and has been chanting 'Sri Guru Basav Lingaya Namah'. A certain section of pontiffs are bogus and act like cheating companies, he added.</p>
<p>BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal on Friday warned people against bogus assurances of being given candidature in exchange of money and urged them not to fall prey to promises of being made a chief minister if they paid a huge sum.</p>.<p>While speaking at a convention of Lingayat Panchamasali community on Thursday, Yatnal claimed that some people from New Delhi had come to him with an offer to make him the chief minister if he paid Rs 2,500 crore. "They had also assured me candidature for the Assembly election and meetings with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and BJP president J P Nadda," he said.</p>.<p>Yatnal said when that offer was made, he asked, "Where should I keep it? Can it be kept in a room or godown?"</p>.<p>He said many people in politics get cheated with such assurances of candidature. "I have worked under former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as well as Lal Krishna Advani, Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley. How can such a person be asked to keep Rs 2,500 crore ready to become chief minister?"</p>.<p>He asked people in the community not to hurt their political prospects by falling prey to such assurances. "Many people say 'we will take you to Sonia Gandhi or J P Nadda’s residence'. Such things keep on happening in politics and one needs to be cautious," he said.</p>.<p>"As elections approach, all kinds of activities come to the fore. Some conduct mass marriages or get 151 couples married at a go with the ambition to contest the Assembly election. Notebook distribution, ‘<em>tali bhagya</em>’ and other activities too are seen happening. We need to see what ‘<em>bhagya</em>’ comes during the election year and who brings it. Accept all goodies that are offered, but vote for those who give you a good future," Yatnal said.</p>.<p>He also added that the election year sees the birth of social workers too.</p>.<p>"I do not give money. People vote for me as they know that while I shout in the face, I will not backstab anyone. I do not trouble anybody. The assembly constituency represented by me was not lesser than Pakistan. They (Muslims) have one lakh votes, we have 1.50 lakh votes. Our people did not come out to vote but they realised that if they did not come out to vote, the constituency would become Pakistan, so vote for me," Yatnal said.</p>.<p>Yatnal also demanded 2A reservation for the community at Ramdurg. The video of which went viral on Friday.</p>.<p>Regarding the reservation demand for the Lingayat Panchamasali community, he said that one seer has accepted Rs 10 crore and has been chanting 'Sri Guru Basav Lingaya Namah'. A certain section of pontiffs are bogus and act like cheating companies, he added.</p>
