Yatnal: State BJP president should be from N K'taka

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Vijayapur MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal has said that next president of the party's state unit should be from North Karnataka region as it has won all the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the region.

He told reporters here that North Karnataka has, thus, become the party's base in the state and the party's leadership should decide in this regard.

Yatnal said he himself is ready to accept the post, if it is given to him. There are many leaders from all communities in the North Karnataka region who can successfully discharge the responsibility, he said.

He said BJP leadership has to take a decision to continue incumbent B S Yeddyurappa as state president or leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.

Yatnal denied that BJP leadership did not consider the names proposed by Yeddyurappa to be made Union ministers. "Yeddyurappa had demanded Cabinet berth for those who could strengthen the party in the state and we expect another berth during the next Cabinet expansion and minister of state to be upgraded as Cabinet minister," he said.