Vijayapura: Stepping up his attack on the BJP state leadership, Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal challenged BJP state president B Y Vijayendra to take out a padayatra if he dared to speak out against the alleged KPSC scam, which, he claimed, had jeopardised the prospects of lakhs of unemployed youth in the state.
Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, he questioned Vijayendra's silence on alleged KPSC irregularities while he was holding padayatras over unimportant issues despite the scam affecting thousands of unemployed youth.
“I know what percentage (commission amount) the KPSC’s suspended Chairman, Shivashankrappa Sahukar paid you (Vijayendra). Vijayendra gets 75 per cent, and Sahukar gets 25 per cent,” Yatnal alleged, challenging Vijayendra to prove his commitment by taking up the KPSC issue through a Padayatra.
He alleged that Vijayendra and CM D. K. Shivakumar had reached an understanding and accused them of attempting to divert attention from the alleged KPSC scam.
Yatnal also questioned the need for the ongoing Padayatra even after B Nagendra resigned from the cabinet. He claimed that senior BJP leaders were not supporting Vijayendra and said the Padayatra had lost its relevance.
On the ongoing tussle between Congress MLA C. S. Nadagouda and Minister M. B. Patil over drought declaration in Vijayapura district, Yatnal extended support to Muddebihal MLA Nadagouda's demand for declaring the entire district as drought-hit.
“The demand raised by Nadagouda is genuine, and there is truth in it. I will not interfere in the internal affairs involving Nadagouda and Minister M.B. Patil. However, the government should respond positively to the demand,” he said.
He said all the affected areas where drought conditions prevailed should be declared drought-hit without discrimination.
