Former Karnataka cabinet minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Shrimant Patil on Saturday alleged he was offered money to join the party from the Congress in 2019, which refused at the time.
Patil held the portfolio of minority welfare in the state government between 2020 and 2021 and was one of the ministers recently dropped from the newly formed cabinet under chief minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Talking to reporters on Saturday, the Kagwad MLA said he was offered money at the time of quitting Congress by the BJP government, but he refused. “I’m someone who joined the BJP without taking any money. They had asked me how much of money I wanted, but I didn’t take a single paisa,” he said.
“I declined the offer of money and told them that when the party is in power, they should give a good position so that I can do social service. Now, they (BJP) have dropped me from the new cabinet. However, I am confident of getting a cabinet berth in the coming days,” he said.
He further added that he had discussed with senior leaders regarding the cabinet portfolio. “The Maratha community is also pitching in for me, demanding my inclusion in the new cabinet. The senior BJP leaders have assured me that I will be accommodated in the cabinet,” Patil added.
{{/usCountry}}He further added that he had discussed with senior leaders regarding the cabinet portfolio. “The Maratha community is also pitching in for me, demanding my inclusion in the new cabinet. The senior BJP leaders have assured me that I will be accommodated in the cabinet,” Patil added.
{{/usCountry}}The BJP is yet to react to Patil’s remarks. However, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Working President Eshwar Khandre said that the leader’s statement is only proving what the Congress party has been alleging, and the truth is before the people. “The leaders are now openly talking about it. They are not happy with the BJP and cabinet position. The Supreme Court should take note of these statements,” he said.
In 2019, the opposition parties in Karnataka accused the BJP of horse-trading 16 MLAs, belonging to the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), which ended their coalition government. Later, the party triumphed over the bypolls and formed the government under the leadership of BS Yediyurappa.