The latest cabinet expansion by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa is based on "CD quota" and "blackmail quota", alleged former Union minister and BJP MLA from Vijayapura, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, on Wednesday. Patil also alleged that the Yediyurappa family had "hijacked" the state BJP and was arm-twisting the central leadership to have its way.
"Earlier, we had a caste and district-wise quota, quota for party loyalists and then for people who helped install the BJP government (rebel MLAs from other parties). But now, Yediyurappa has come up with a new quota for people who blackmail with CDs and for the ones who bribe the chief minister's son Vijayendra. I am shocked to see that the three people, including the CM's political secretary, who had met me in a Nelamangala guest house and was planning to topple Yediyurappa four months back, are being inducted into the cabinet today," charged Yatnal, without taking any names.
also read
- Karnataka benefited immensely from Modi govt, says former state minister
- BJP moves ECI against Congress 'chombu' ad in Karnataka: 'Malicious and defamatory'
- Battle for Bengaluru explained: Who are in fray and what is at stake
- Will BJP field Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh from Kaiserganj?
- Sam Pitroda says '55% inheritance tax' remark twisted by BJP to divert attention
Yatnal, a fellow Lingayat and a vocal critic of Yediyurappa, also alleged that the Lingayat strongman was "arm-twisting" the party's central leadership by "showcasing" he has the unflinching support of the politically significant Lingayat community.
"The state BJP has been hijacked by the Yediyurappa family which has a CM, MP and party's state vice president. Yediyurappa has doled out more than Rs 80 crore to the Lingayat mutts in exchange for their support if and when the party high command decides to remove him from the top post. Yediyurappa has been slapped with a penalty of Rs 25,000 in a land denotification case too. He has made the Lingayat community hang its head in shame. He must step down as the chief minister immediately. This is the beginning of his decline," slammed Yatnal.
"Yediyurappa has bought over the opposition Congress leaders too, from Siddaramaiah, D.K. Shivakumar, K.J. George to Zameer Ahmed Khan. The Congress is dead. Everything today is adjustment politics," charged Yatnal.
