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BJP MP slams Yatnal’s remark, to raise matter with high command
Chikkodi BJP MP Annasaheb Jolle said, that he, alongside several other party leaders, was disconcerted by Yatnal’s statements, which he deemed baseless and politically motivated
Belagavi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finds itself grappling with internal turmoil after comments made by Vijayapur legislator Basangouda Patil Yatnal against Congress leaders and the government sparked embarrassment within its ranks. Amid the fallout, Chikkodi BJP MP Annasaheb Jolle said to raise the issue at the party’s highest levels to mitigate further damage.
Speaking to the media, Jolle said, that he, alongside several other party leaders, was disconcerted by Yatnal’s statements, which he deemed baseless and politically motivated. Yatnal had predicted the collapse of the Congress government ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections and suggested that a significant number of Congress legislators would defect to the BJP.
“His statement lacks logic and is baseless. It has only been three months since the Congress government was established. The legislators are not foolish enough to join the BJP, and such a scenario is also highly unlikely,” he remarked.
Jolle added that Yatnal’s comments lacked logical grounding and BJP’s elected representatives were finding it challenging to confront the media in the wake of the controversy.
A first-time MP with a solid rapport with the party’s national president JP Nadda, Jolle claimed that many fellow elected representatives shared his reservations about Yatnal’s statements. He expressed his intention to communicate his concerns to the party’s national leadership to avert further harm to the BJP’s reputation.
Jolle’s spouse, Shashikala Jolle, a former Karnataka minister and legislator, had previously raised concerns about party interference in different constituencies. This intervention, involving former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, led to Jolle’s public objection and subsequent complaint to President Nadda. This move was seen as pivotal in curbing Jarkiholi’s interference, people aware of the matter said.
While Yatnal’s remarks caused significant disarray within the party, Vijayapur district block president Shivarudra Bagalkot contended that Yatnal’s words had been misconstrued. Bagalkot clarified that Yatnal had only highlighted the lack of coordination between Congress legislators and ministers due to the absence of transfers of officials. “He suggested that some of these legislators might consider joining the BJP in the future, but there was no mention of an immediate exodus from the Congress party,” he said.
BJP legislators from Belagavi district who suffered electoral losses attributed their defeat partially to the party leadership’s controversial comments by Yatnal who attacked the Congress leaders personally. This underscores the impact of inflammatory rhetoric on voter sentiment, a leader in the party said on condition of anonymity.
Sanjay Patil, the Belagavi Block BJP district president, defended Yatnal’s comments, citing various factors behind the electoral setback. He acknowledged the harshness of the comments but argued that they were grounded in logic and truth. Patil expressed his intention to mediate the situation between Yatnal and Jolle without escalating it to the party’s high command.
Several BJP workers who worked at the grassroots level during the elections shared a consensus that the party’s defeat could be attributed, in part, to comments made by Yatnal, KS Eshwarappa, and CT Ravi. Their personal remarks targeting prominent Congress figures like Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar were seen as detrimental to the party’s prospects.
