'Yediyurappa blackmailed with CD': Miffed Karnataka BJP netas slam CM's cabinet expansion

Amid simmering discontent post-cabinet expansion in Karnataka, BJP leaders have made a massive allegation against Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, and Congress has demanded a probe in the matter. After a long wait, seven legislators namely - MTB Nagaraj, R Shankar, CP Yogeshwar, Umesh Katti, Arvind Limbavali, Murugesh Nirani, S Angara - took oath as BJP high-command finally gave a nod to Yediruppa's much-awaited cabinet expansion. The expansion was significant as many leaders including those who jumped ship from Congress and JDS, resulting in the fall of previous Kumaraswamy government, were waiting to get a berth.

However, disgruntled BJP leaders who weren't included spoke out against the CM openly with senior BJP leader Basanagouda R Patil claiming that only those who blackmailed the CM "with a CD" were inducted. Others who expressed their grievances openly are - Mysore MLA Ramadoss, chief whip in Karnataka Assembly Sunil Kumar Karkala, Ron MLA Kalakappa Bandi and MLA from Belgaum (South) Abhay Patil.

Senior BJP leader Basanagouda R Patil alleged, "Yediyurappa only considered and appointed those who blackmailed him with a CD and paid huge money to him. Two are been made ministers and one person has been made political secretary after all three used the CD to blackmail him. Yediyurappa completely ignored party loyal workers like us and those who blackmailed him, made a CD and planned to bring down his government have been made ministers."

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Ramadoss said in a tweet, "I started my journey as Mysore youth president and have served as state youth president twice. Loyally, I have worked for the party for 28 years. 11 MLAs in my region, 10 of them have gone to other parties. Party is my mother. I am a swayamsevak. It is against me to become a minister by using other methods. This is an injustice to the Mysore region. Anyone from the district could have become a minister." Similarly, the state government's chief whip in the Karnataka Assembly, Sunil Kumar Karkala said that he has always been loyal to the party and have never blackmailed for posts. The disgruntled leaders have decided to write to party chief JP Nadda and will express their disappointment to Union Home Minister and ex-BJP chief Amit Shah when he visits Bengaluru on January 16. 

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Yediyurappa's reaction 

However, CM BS Yediyurappa asked sulking BJP leaders to take up the matter with the national leadership and urged them to refrain from making any remarks affecting the party. The Chief Minister had expanded his cabinet on Wednesday after much deliberation.

"If the BJP MLAs have any objection they can go to Delhi, meet our national leaders and give them all the information and complaints they have. I won't object to that but I ask them not to damage the party's reputation by talking ill," Yediyurappa told reporters in Bengaluru.

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Congress wants action 

As the development stirred the political scenario in Karnataka, Congress KPCC president DK Shivakumar said that there must be a judicial probe into allegations, adding that the probe should be headed by a High Court judge. "Allegations made by the BJP legislators are serious and need to be probed. Why are the IT, ED, ACB and Lokayukta not taking any action? They must register a suo moto case and start the probe,” he said. Shivakumar added, "When I had mentioned about the CD earlier, BJP leaders asked me to provide information, now their own leaders are discussing about it. Let them take action."

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