Nirani blames Yatnal for BJP’s loss in Vijayapura

The infighting over the election loss continues in the BJP, with former minister Murugesh Nirani, on Wednesday, blaming Bijapur city legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal for the party’s defeat in seven seats of the district.

“Arranging an helicopter to you for campaigning was of no use,” he said, in reference to Yatnal.

Addressing a press conference in the city, the minister said, “It has been a habit for him to make baseless allegations against senior leaders like B S Yediyurappa, K S Eshwarappa and the late H N Ananth Kumar.

Clarifying on the Monday incident where party groups traded charges, Nirani said, “The Bijapur city MLA should have been present to welcome the leaders. Instead, he didn’t come even after two hours. Thereafter, his supporters created chaos”.

The former minister said Yatnal had stymied efforts to provide reservation to the Panchamasalis, giving Congress an issue to target the BJP.

Nirani claimed that Yatnal had knocked on the doors of the Congress and was about to join the party, when he was an MP during the NDA rule at the Centre under Atal Behari Vajpayee. Ananth Kumar had convinced him to stay back in the party, he said.