Vijayendra is holding party post temporarily, says Yatnal

Basanagouda Patil Yatnal is the Vijayapura BJP MLA
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO

B.Y. Vijayendra is only a temporary president of the State BJP. A full-time president will be appointed soon, Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal, BJP MLA, said in Vijayapura on Sunday.

“We do not have a full-time president now. But we will soon have one. The State unit will leave it to the Central unit to appoint a new president,” he told reporters.

He said that he would not criticise Mr. Vijayendra for not leading the agitations against Minister Priyank Kharge in Kalaburagi.

“He was expected to come to Kalaburagi but he did not come. It is alright. I am told that he led the party’s protests organised in Shivamogga. The BJP is organising three protests – against the waqf board, against maternal deaths in government hospitals, and against Mr. Priyank Kharge. Various leaders are heading protests at various places,” he said.

He said he had no complaints against the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok. “He has led the legislature party unit successfully in the Winter Session. He has followed instructions from the party’s senior leadership. I have nothing against him. I do not have any information about the reported differences between Mr. Ashok and Mr. Vijayendra,” Mr. Yatnal said.

He said that there was no controversy in the statement of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi about the election of a new president. “While election is the rule, appointment by consensus is the tradition. The party high command has always appointed a president after consulting State leaders and after trying to forge a consensus. the national president announces the names. Karnataka will not only have a new State president, but also new presidents for district units,” he said.

Mr. Yatnal said Mr. Priyank Kharge had to resign from the Cabinet to allow a transparent investigation in the death of contractor Sachin Panchal in Bidar district. He demanded a judicial inquiry into the maternal deaths. He opposed the State government allowing the State transport undertakings to implement a fare hike. “While the government is allowing women to ride free in buses, it is burdening the men. Both will turn against the Congress in the next elections,” he said.