Audio clip war: BJP's counter fails to take off

The BJP’s move to take on Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, by releasing the 2014 videotape in which he is purportedly demanding Rs 25 crore for making a party leader as MLC, seems to have fizzled out.

The BJP leaders seem to have realised their folly that the incident wherein Kumaraswamy is purportedly demanding Rs 25 crore to give party leader Vijugouda Patil (now in BJP) a ticket to the Legislative Council had made headlines five years back. The JD(S) was all set to embarrass the BJP to raking up an old issue.

The BJP’s tape was a counter to the one Kumaraswamy released in which BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa is in a purported conversation to lure a JD(S) MLA in his alleged attempt to topple the JD(S)-Congress government.

However, on Monday, the entire day witnessed the ruling party taking up the tape released by Kumaraswamy and going aggressively against the BJP demanding the resignation of Yeddyurappa.

The only time the BJP made mention of the tape in its possession was when member and former minister M P Renukacharya held a CD stating it exposed Kumaraswamy. The CD was passed on to Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar.

BJP members were forced to go on the defensive and coming to the rescue of Yeddyurappa. Interestingly Yeddyurappa did not speak during the discussion in the House which lasted for more than five hours.