No One-crore Car, Only Train for Yeddyurappa’s Drought Study
Bengaluru: As the national-level media splashed the news of BJP state president’s plan to make use of a Rs 1 crore-worth Prado car during a study tour of the drought-affected areas in the state, many adverse comments came pouring since Friday.
This was because the BJP itself had recently created a ruckus about a Hublot watch, reportedly gifted by a Gulf-based doctor to chief minister Siddaramaia.
Yeddyurappa, obviously fearing a negative backlash, hurriedly spoke to the mediapersons on Saturday and issued a clarification. Speaking in the party’s state office in Malleswaram, said that it was true that his former cabinet colleague Murugesh Nirani had given him a car for his use to rebuild the party.
But he stressed that he always travelled by train while visiting distant places. Hence, he would not use the Nirani-gifted car while touring the drought-affected areas but would travel only by train.
He planned to use the new car only in and around Bengaluru. He also clarified that Nirani had offered the car for his use for party activities and he was free to take it back whenever he wants.
Earlier report on Apr 15:
Rs 1 Crore Car Gifted to Yeddyurappa for Drought Study Tour
special correspondent
Bengaluru: Murugesh Nirani, a sugar baron, and a former state minister, has reportedly gifted a state-of-the-art Toyota Land Cruiser Prado car to the new BJP state president and former chief minister, B S Yeddyurappa.
The car is meant for BSY’s use during his immediate tour of the drought-affected areas, followed by a whirlwind tour around the state to rejuvenate the party ahead of the assembly elections in 2018.
It is a smaller-range, luxury sports utility vehicle (SUV), with advanced features. It can attain quick speed and can be controlled equally fast. It is said to have come with a price-tag of Rs 1 crore.
High fuel and engine efficiency, touchscreen audio display, bluetooth for mobile connectivity, start-button ignition system, seven anti-crash airbags, parking auto sensor, advance temperature control airconditioning system etc are its salient features.
However, sources close to Yeddyurappa said that it was not a gift but was only ‘loaned’ to him for the tour purposes. This damage control exercise was thought of specially in view of the racket that chief minister’s Hublot watch and his delay in declaring a gift had created.
Yeddyurappa, in his capacity as state president of the party, already has a Honda CRV at his disposal, but he has preferred to use this Prado, which has now been fitted with a signboard on the front bumper, displaying his party post.
There are sore notes in the party circles here about the irony of his using a high-end, one crore-worth car while touring the drought-affected areas where people do not even have basic drinking water facility and transport.
Who is there to see whether this sleazy character will travel by the Toyota Prado SUV or by train? Can the media keep a tab on various things, when there plates are full? As far as I am concerned, for all these sins he has committed, he should be given a good bicycle with multi-gears so that he can cycle his way to vast distances in Karnataka. It would be good for his health, controlling his blood pressure, improving cholosterol and sugar levels and make him fit and athletic for extra-curricular activities.