Ministerial berths for those who blackmailed CM with CDs: Yatnal

BJP MLA and former Union minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on Wednesday alleged that three legislators, who have used blackmail with some secret CDs of B S Yediyurappa, were made ministers, throwing seniority and honesty to the wind.

The Bijapur City MLA who has been critical of Yediyurapa’s style of functioning, told reporters here, “Yediyurappa has made three legislators, including his political secretary, ministers. All three were blackmailing the chief minister through his relative using some secret CDs. The political secretary who was made a minister today, apart from CD blackmail, had paid an undisclosed money to CM’s son B Y Vijayendra.”

“In fact all three, who became ministers today, had met me at a guest house in Nelamangala four months back. They had said that they were ready to spend hundreds of crores to bring down CM Yediyurappa,” Yatnal said.

The regional and caste imbalance is evident in the Cabinet expansion. Also, Yediyurappa did not consider seniority and honesty, Yatnal lamented.

The CM and his family have hijacked the BJP in Karnataka. In Yediyurappa’s family, there’s a chief minister, a Lok Sabha member and a BJP state vice-president. The prime minister should end this dynastic politics and thereby send across a strong message...” he said.

Continuing his tirade against the chief minister, Yatnal said, “Yediyurappa is using Lingayat mutts to blackmail the BJP high command. He has given Rs 83 crore to various mutts and seers two months back to rebel against the BJP if he was dethroned as CM,” he charged.

“You (Yediyurappa) are facing corruption charges and the high court has fined you in three cases. You should resign on moral grounds, he said adding that from Uttarayana BSY’s end will begin and a new era will start in Karnataka under PM Modi.