Vijayendra denies Yatnal’s charge that he has compromised party interests with Shivakumar

I do not run away from challenges, says the State BJP chief

BJP State unit president B.Y. Vijayendra has denied the charge by fellow party leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal that he has harmed party interests by compromising with Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar.

He was here to participate in the Dasara celebrations organised by the Hukkeri Math.

“I am not that a kind of leader. I am the son of B.S. Yediyurappa. I do not run away from challenges. I face them boldly. That is what my father did and that is what I am doing. I am working as a strong leader of the Opposition party,” Mr. Vijayendra said in Belagavi on Thursday.

“I have met many important people and I have taken everything positively in the interests of the party,” he said.

To a query on the Raj Bhavan not according sanction to cases against BJP leaders like Murugesh Nirani, Shashikala Jolle and Janata Dal(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, Mr. Vijayendra said that it was the domain of the Governor and that he lacked knowledge of the working of the Governor’s office.

He said that there are no political motives behind his recent meeting with Minister and Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi.

“I wanted to discuss issues related to the Public Works Department in my constituency of Shikaripur,” he said.

The meeting in the Minister’s residence in Bengaluru had sparked speculation that Mr. Vijayendra may have carried a message from his father to Satish Jarkiholi, who is seen as a contender for the post of Chief Minister.

Responding to a comment by BJP MLA and Satish Jarkiholi’s elder brother Ramesh Jarkiholi that he refused to accept his role as BJP State president, Mr. Vijayendra said that some leaders might take some time to accept it.

As if commenting on his souring relationship with Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mr. Vijayendra said: “In fact, I went looking for Ramesh Jarkiholi. Since he was not available, I ended up meeting Satish Jarkiholi.”

About the statement by Ramesh Jarkiholi and Mr. Yatnal that the State BJP needed cleansing, Mr. Vijayendra said that that step was taken before the recent MP elections.

Mr. Yatnal and Ramesh Jarkiholi were among the leaders who had not joined the BJP-Janata Dal(S) padayatra to Mysuru. They were also among the attendees of a meeting of rebels in the house of K.S. Eshwarappa, expelled BJP leader, in Bengaluru.

Mr. Yatnal attended a meeting of BJP rebels in a college owned by G.M. Siddeshwar, former MP, who is said to be opposed to Mr. Vijayendra’s leadership.

Mr. Vijayendra repeated his claim that Siddaramaiah will resign as Chief Minister very soon. “I think that Karnataka will have a new Chief Minister by the time the Assembly’s winter session is held in the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi,” Mr. Vijayendra said.

“This is a hopeless, useless government. The earlier it goes, the better it is for the State,” he said.

“Mr. Siddaramaiah is the accused number one in the Lokayukta FIR filed in the MUDA case. Those who are facing serious charge of irregularities should not be adamant. They should resign immediately. That is how they can make way for a free and fair investigation,” he said.

He said that he had inside information that the Congress high command has decided to seek Mr. Siddaramaiah’s resignation. “This has led to competition among Congress leaders who are preparing ground to claim that position. They are holding meetings of their supporters and showing their strength. Some are also praising Mr. Siddaramaiah as they believe that he will nominate a successor who he thinks is loyal to him,” he said.

Mr. Vijayendra denied the allegation that the BJP leadership has not taken the Valmiki development corporation case as seriously as the MUDA case. “We took up three-four issues and started agitations across the State. Those agitations have had positive results,” he said.

He said that the Congress government is using the COVID-19 case as an intimidating tactics and a shield to hide from its mistakes. “The Chief Minister is only using it to threaten the Opposition,” he said.

“Minister Priyank Kharge who thinks he can comment on anyone or anything in the world has no focus on his own department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. Panchayat development officers have been protesting for days and there is no effort by the Minister to end it,” he said.

Published - October 10, 2024 08:29 pm IST