DAVANAGERE: BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on Sunday said he is a frontrunner for the party state president’s post, and he has the capability of becoming the chief minister.
Addressing media persons, he said, “I have the capacity to become the state BJP president and after that the chief minister of Karnataka. My aim is to strengthen the BJP from the grassroots and bring it to power with an absolute majority.”
Training his guns towards state BJP president BY Vijayendra, he said, “My agitation against family politics and corruption will continue. There is a need to free Karnataka from corruption and I will put my earnest effort in this regard.”
Asked about B Sriramulu’s decision to tour Karnataka to “unite divided minds in the party”, Yatnal said this is a good decision and he will support it.”
Yatnal also said after the completion of the programme at Rajanahalli, he will go to New Delhi for the house-warming programme of Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna. Asked whether he will meet the BJP top brass there, he questioned media why he should disclose it?
“We are going to Delhi and will keep on trying till we get victory. Our struggle is not against the party, it is against family politics and corruption,” he said. “Because of the BJP’s clean image, we came to power in Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal, who was arrested on charges of corruption, has been rejected. Even in Karnataka, the corrupt cannot survive for long.”
He also targeted the supporters of Vijayendra (without taking the names of MP Renukacharya and Madal Mallikarjun). “Let there be any type of support for Vijayendra, our attempts to change the state BJP president will continue,” he said.
Vijayendra rushes to Delhi amid party internal turmoil
Bengaluru: BJP state president BY Vijayendra, who was supposed to attend an event in Davangere, rushed to New Delhi on Sunday evening. He is expected to attend a pooja at Union Minister of State V Somanna’s official residence in Delhi. BJP sources said rebel leaders B Sriramulu and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal are also expected to be in Delhi.
Sources also said state leaders are expected to meet the party high command amidst the internal crisis in the Karnataka unit. Over the past few weeks, many BJP leaders have been openly expressing their displeasure, embarassing the party leadership.