Karnataka / Karnataka CM releases audio of ‘BJP’s attempt to poach JDS MLA’

Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday released an audio recording of a purported attempt made by BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa to poach a JDS MLA.

Kumaraswamy released the audio recording of Yeddyurappa holding negotiations with Sharanagouda Patil, the son of JDS MLA Naganagouda Patil.

The audio was released amid speculation of BJP’s involvement in the absence of seven Congress and one JDS MLA from the budget session of the legislature over the last two days. The BJP disrupted the legislature session on the grounds that the ruling JDS-Congress coalition is running a minority government.

In the audio released by Kumaraswamy and reportedly recorded on Thursday at a circuit house in Devarayanadurga in north Karnataka, BJP state president Yeddyurappa can be heard trying to convince the JDS MLA’s son to get his 73-year-old father to quit JDS and join BJP in the next few days. A voice that sounds like Yeddyurappa’s is heard telling Sharanagouda Patil to move to Mumbai and join around 10 other MLAs who will be moving there.

The MLA’s son is heard being promised the post of a minister and funds for elections by a person identified as the BJP MLA Shivanagouda Nayak. “They promised Rs 25 crore for the MLA and election funds,” Kumaraswamy said.

The MLA’s son Sharanagouda Patil, who was present at the chief minister’s press conference, said he had recorded the conversation with Yeddyurappa and handed them to Kumaraswamy. “I was concerned by their efforts to topple the pro-farmer government,” he claimed.