MANGALORE: Dissident BJP leader MP Basavanagouda Patil Yatnal said that he would file a criminal case against party leader Ayanur Manjunath in Bijapur, questioning the controversial ‘cash for vote’ charges levelled against him.
Addressing a press meet here on Monday, he alleged that BJP Bijapur district president Vithal Katakdonda executed the conspiracy of levelling baseless allegations against him through Ayanur Manjunath, on the instructions of Yeddyurappa and Rural Development Minister Shobha Karandlaje.
Charges were levelled against Yatnal recently accusing him of accepting bribe to vote against the BJP in the no-confidence motion in Parliament. “Let them prove in court who offered and gave money to me to vote against the BJP,” he challenged. “Yeddyurappa cheated senior BJP leader B B Shivappa by not keeping his word,” Yatnal said and added that Shivappa would join the ongoing ‘Save BJP, Save Workers’ campaign soon.
Lakhs of party workers who strived to build the BJP were neglected when Yeddyurappa gave prominence to outsiders through ‘Operation Kamala,’ Yatnal charged. The BJP still has time to correct its mistakes, Yatnal said, adding that all charges against the BJP state leadership were brought to the notice of the central committee too. Yatnal asserted that he would not contest the Lok Sabha elections, and that he would campaign for Swabhimani Vedike Mangalore constituency candidate K Rama Bhat.