Yeddyurappa accused by Congress of paying Rs 1,800 crore bribe to BJP leaders, rubbishes charge

The Caravan had published a report titled ‘Yeddy diaries’ which claims that Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa had made payouts to senior BJP leaders during his tenure as Karnataka CM.

The Congress party, during its much-awaited press conference on Friday, accused top BJP leaders of receiving bribes.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, referring to a report by The Caravan titled ‘Yeddy diaries’, said that former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa bribed the top leadership of the government in 2009.

Yeddyurappa, however, rubbished the charge, saying that the notes were forged.

According to the report, the Income Tax department was in possession of diary entries by Yeddyurappa claiming that he paid Rs 1,800 crores to the BJP's national leaders, and that the notes were made in his own handwriting in a Karnataka state assembly legislator's 2009 diary in Kannada.

Congress claims that in 2017 they had made a video recording of the same, in which Yeddyurappa and BJP leader Ananth Kumar Hegde were heard talking about the bribes.

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

The briefing was scheduled at 10.30 am, but was deferred to this afternoon.

Yeddyurappa rebuts allegations

BS Yeddyurappa, BJP: They have planted the story in the media to gain mileage in the upcoming elections. Issues raised by Congress leaders are irrelevant and false. I'm discussing with the senior advocates to file a defamation case against the concerned person also. https://t.co/lECh5weSVG

— ANI (@ANI) March 22, 2019

The Caravan tweets that their website is down, and will be back shortly

Copies of diary entries that are with the IT dept note that BS #Yeddyurappa paid the BJP central committee 1,000 crore; Arun Jaitley and Nitin Gadkari 150 crore each; Rajnath Singh 100 crore; and LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi 50 crore each. https://t.co/gO74cY6KN8 pic.twitter.com/aR5AftXtSx

— The Caravan (@thecaravanindia) March 22, 2019

What the Caravan report says

"The copies of the diary pages note that Yeddyurappa paid the BJP Central Committee Rs 1,000 crore; that he paid the finance minister Arun Jaitley and the transport minister Nitin Gadkari Rs 150 crore each; that he gave the home minister Rajnath Singh Rs 100 crore; and that he paid the BJP stalwart LK Advani and the senior party leader Murli Manohar Joshi Rs 50 crore each. Besides this, the entry notes, Yeddyurappa paid Rs 10 crore for ‘Gadkari’s son’s marriage’,” the Caravan report says.

Divya Spandana replies to BJP's attack over Congress delaying their press meet

No of press conferences by @RahulGandhi - 24
No of press conferences by @narendramodi 0
Darpok Modi! Darpok BJP! https://t.co/9mpoDhjVzq

— Divya Spandana/Ramya (@divyaspandana) March 22, 2019

From this diary, five facts have come out. Close to Rs 2690 crore was sought and 1800 crore was given to BJP. Yedyurappa was the CM during the period. There are his signatures on each page. This was given to BJP's central team, claims Surjewala

We have caught a theft and the thief. BJP leaders have been caught in a corruption case: Surjewala

Rs 1800 crore bribery charge against top BJP leaders: Congress

The diary mentions names of senior BJP leaders from Rajnath Singh to Jaitley. There is an allegation of bribe worth Rs 1800 crore against BJP's top leadership, says Randeep Surjewala

Surjewala questions Modi's silence on the matter

Is it true or false? The diary with BS Yeddyurappa's sign on it was with the Income Tax Department since 2017. If that is the case, why did Modi ji and BJP did not get it investigated?: Randeep Surjewala

Surjewala is reading the contents of the diary which reportedly holds details of a transaction between BS Yeddyurappa and BJP leaders.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala begins press conference, citing The Caravan's report which alleged that former Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa had bribed BJP leaders during his tenure.

LIVE: Press briefing by @rssurjewala, I/C, AICC Communications. https://t.co/7qJbVgwOrm

— Congress Live (@INCIndiaLive) March 22, 2019