Rebel Yatnal expelled from BJP for six years

www.mangaloretoday.com

Vijayapura, December 13, 2015: The BJP expelled former Union minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal from the party for a second time on Saturday after he failed to withdraw his nomination as a rebel candidate from the Vijayapura double-member constituency for the Legislative Council elections.

Even on Saturday, the last day for withdrawal of nominations, Yatnal did not relent from his decision to contest the election as a rebel. Considering this as anti-party activity and amounting to indiscipline, the BJP expelled him for six years, according to a press statement issued by party State president Pralhad Joshi.

According to a BJP leader, BJP national vice president B S Yeddyurappa was informed about Yatnal’s rebellious stand, but the former chief minister refrained from reacting. However, Joshi decided to immediately take disciplinary action,  sources said.

Yatnal and Minister S R Patil have locked horns in the Vijayapura double-member constituency. Senior leaders Jagadish Shettar and Yeddyurappa had made a vain bid to convince Yatnal to withdraw from the fray.

When contacted by this newspaper, Yatnal said, “Shettar tried to convince me to withdraw the nomination. I told Shettar that Joshi would be soon completing his tenure as the party State president. And the replacement should be Yeddyurappa. Besides, Yeddyurappa should be projected as the chief ministerial candidate in the next elections. I would have withdrawn the papers had my demands been met. Neither Shettar nor Joshi assured me anything.”