By The Hindu Bureau

Copyright thehindu

Expelled BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has said that the BJP in Karnataka needs to be “repaired”.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Friday, Mr. Yatnal referred to “family politics and corruption” of BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa and said he would form a new party if the saffron party in the State was not “repaired”.

Even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi was opposed to dynastic politics and corruption, Mr. Yediyurappa, whose son B.Y. Vijayendra had been made the party’s State unit president, has a number of corruption cases in the State.

If BJP was not “repaired”, Mr. Yatnal said he would form a new party, which he claimed would form the government in the State in 2028.

Though he ruled out the possibility of meeting the BJP High Command, which had removed him from the party listening to the advise of Mr. Yediyurappa and his son Mr. Vijayendra, Mr. Yatnal said he would only be meeting the people. He also claimed that he was in touch with BJP leaders in the State except the “father-and-son” duo.

He claimed that the BJP leaders in the State were not in favour of Mr. Vijayendra continuing as the party’s State unit chief and the party High Command would also not allow his continuation in the post.

Mr. Yatnal said he had earlier formed a team of party leaders, including former MP Pratap Simha, former Ministers Ramesh Jharkiholi, Arvind Limbavalli, and Kumar Bangarappa, who had pledged to provide an honest government if given an opportunity.

He also claimed that BJP leader Amit Shah had now realised that it was a “blunder” to have removed him from the party.

He claimed that the large gathering at Maddur in Mandya district that he addressed on Thursday had favoured him to become the next Chief Minister of Karnataka.

With regard to the FIR registered against him by the Maddur police, Mr. Yatnal said the government was free to file as many cases as it wished, but he woould not ask Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to withdraw the case.

He said he had claimed that the mosque in Maddur from where stones were allegedly hurled was an “illegal structure”. “Why is the government not acting against such illegal structures?”, he questioned.

Questioning the government’s decision to invite writer Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Dasara festivities this year, Mr. Yatnal pointed out that Islam does not permit idol worship. Asking the writer to refuse the invitation, Mr. Yatnal said flowers can be thrown on the deity of Chamundeshwari only by a person belonging to Sanatana dharma.