Audio tape row: Yeddyurappa admits meeting JDS MLA’s son, says Kumaraswamy doing third-grade politics
HIGHLIGHTS
- Earlier, Yeddyurappa had claimed that the audio clip was “fake” and that he had not met anyone
- Yeddyurappa said that the MLA’s son Sharanagouda met him in the guest house at 12 am under the CM’s instructions
- It comes amid a police complaint filed against BS Yeddyurappa and others for allegedly kidnapping Congress MLAs
Hubballi: Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president BS Yeddyurappa on Sunday admitted that the voice in the audio clip released by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is his and that he met Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) MLA Naganagowda’s son Sharanagouda at the inspection bungalow in Devdurg.
Yeddyurappa said, “It is true that Sharanagouda came and I spoke to him.”
However, Yeddyurappa claimed that the audio clip released by Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had been edited according to convenience.
Earlier, Yeddyurappa had claimed that the audio clip was “fake” and that he had not met anyone.
“He [Sharanagouda] spoke to me and they have highlighted and released selective information. The chief minister did a press conference and has said that I invited the MLAs son for a discussion,” Yeddyurappa said.
Yeddyurappa said that the MLA’s son Sharanagouda met him in the guest house at 12 am under the instructions of the Chief Minister Kumaraswamy.
He also said, “Kumaraswamy is indulging in third-grade politics. He is blackmailing and hatching conspiracies.”
“I said yesterday that I never mentioned offering Rs 50 crore to the honourable Speaker. If this accusation is proved I said I will retire from politics,” Yeddyurappa said.
On Friday (February 8), Kumaraswamy had accused the BJP of trying to poach JD (S) MLAs.
In the clip released by Kumaraswamy, Yeddyurappa was heard making an offer of Rs 25 crore to Sharanagouda and a ministerial post for his father.
Responding to Yeddyurappa statement, Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao tweeted, “After Yeddyurappa’s confession, the attempt to murder democracy, aka Operation Kamala, by Amit Shah and BJP is proved.”
After @BSYBJP confession, the attempt to murder democracy, aka #OperationKamala, by @AmitShah and @BJP4India is proved.
Under @narendramodi the BJP has become a violent destructive divisive force. https://t.co/rB7omNmhfT
— Dinesh Gundu Rao/ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) February 10, 2019
It comes amid a police complaint filed against BS Yeddyurappa and others for allegedly kidnapping Congress MLAs who were missing from the state legislative assembly session.
The complaint said, “The accused persons have kidnapped some members of the legislative assembly from their legislature home in Bengaluru and confined them in a dark place.”