VIJAYPURA: The BJP district committee appears to have turned against former Union minister and MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal, with sources claiming that it passed a resolution to expel him from the party. The move came in response to Yatnal raising his voice for flood victims and lashing out at the central government and Union ministers for the delay in releasing flood relief funds. A few days ago, he received a show-cause notice from the party’s Central Disciplinary Committee, and now, district leaders have united against Yatnal and passed a resolution urging the party leadership to expel him.
A BJP leader told TNIE, “It is not only because of the show cause notice issued by the Centre, but also because Yatnal failed to take part in party activities ever since he was elected legislator. We also got information that he is targeting a few local leaders and giving statements against them. It was clear when he exercised his franchise against the party candidate in the Vijayapura City Corporation mayoral elections. We submitted a report to the central leadership, recommending his expulsion.”
However, other party sources claimed that Yatnal’s expulsion could work against the party, and will also give Opposition leaders ammo just ahead of the assembly by-elections. The team which reportedly passed the resolution against Yatnal had opposed his re-induction into the party. After Yatnal was elected legislator from Vijayapura City, the saffron cadre in the constituency was divided into two groups -- one led by Yatnal himself, and another by former minister Appasaheb Pattanshetti, MP Ramesh Jigajinagi and team.
Recently, Jigajinagi had criticised Yatnal for giving statements against the central government on flood relief, and accused him of anti-party activities. Within a week, rumours spread that top leaders in the saffron party had united against Yatnal. Pattanshetti lashed out at Yatnal, saying, “Instead of addressing local problems and developing the city infrastructure, he is busy politicking.”