BSY stages U-turn, says never assured tickets to rebels

On the defensive since the video leak, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa sprang a surprise on Sunday, saying that he had not assured tickets to any of the disqualified MLAs.

The remarks came ahead of an internal enquiry to be announced into the leak by the State BJP unit, which blamed former CM Siddaramaiah for the incident.

As the BJP seethed over the episode, the Congress said it will stage a state-wide protest against the Yediyurappa government demanding the resignation of the CM and Union Home Minister Amit Shah at district centres on Monday.

Speaking to reporters outside his residence in the city, Yeddiyurappa said that he had not promised tickets to the rebels.

“MLAs who resigned did so of their own volition. There is no connection between us and their resignations,” he said.

The future course of action will be decided by the party and national president, he said. On disqualified rebels, he said their next move was left to them. “What’s our role,” Yediyurappa asked.

Yediyurappa’s remarks were contrary to the claims made in the leaked video, where the CM pulled up party workers for not backing the candidature of disqualified MLAs in the upcoming bypolls.

The future course of action will be decided by the party and national president, he said. On disqualified rebels, he said their next move was left to them. “What’s our role,” Yediyurappa asked.

Yediyurappa’s remarks were contrary to the claims made in the leaked video, where the CM pulled up party workers for not backing the candidature of disqualified MLAs in the upcoming by-polls.

The State BJP unit also held a meeting on Sunday and discussed the developments following the leak. BJP state president Naleen Kumar Kateel blamed former chief minister Siddaramaiah for leaking the video.

“There is no proof to suggest BJP workers leaked the video. However, the party will investigate who was behind it,” he said. The video was shot during the BJP core committee meeting held on October 26 in Hubballi and leaked recently.

Reacting to the claims by Kateel, Siddaramaiah tweeted, “BJP State president Naleen Kumar Kateel has joked that chief minister B S Yediyurappa’s audio (video) was released by me. Did you invite the opposition leader for BJP core committee meeting.”

Meanwhile, JD(S) president H D Deve Gowda, reacting to the video in Hassan, said that the video only bolstered ‘Operation Kamala’ allegations and said that such practices were detrimental to democracy.