Vijayapura: Anguished against BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal for trying to defame him on several occasions, Former MLA and BJP leader Appu Pattanshetty has warned Yatnal of launching scathing attack against Yatnal in coming days.
Addressing media persons on Friday February 4, he said that for too long, he waited patiently without replying to baseless allegations of Yatnal on public platforms. “On several occasions, he kept mentioning my name and making baseless allegations against me that I did nothing for the development of Vijayapura City when I was an MLA. But now, things are going beyond the limit. I am warning Yatnal that if he makes any more baseless allegations against me using a public platform, I will give him a fitting reply. As the assembly election is nearing, I will expose him and give dressing down in public in the language that he understands well,” Pattanshetty warned.
Pattanshetty told his bete noire that he would not keep quiet and would reply strongly. He also challenged Yatnal to say whatever he wishes to say before the mainstream media rather than giving statements in the presence of a few people.
“If he has guts, then let him say things about me through the mainstream media. Do not act like a coward by resorting to backbiting,” he said.
On the claims of Yatnal that it was he who brought Minister Murgesh Nirani in BJP, Pattanshetty took jibe at his claim.
“Murgesh Nirani has been active in BJP since years, when Yatnal was still a local BJP leader. It was Former MLA of Jamakhandi, Srikant Kulkarni who brought Nirani into BJP,” he said.
He said that Yatnal has lost mental balance and that he is calling himself a bigger leader than B. S. Yediyurappa and Jagdish Shettar.
“No surprise if tomorrow he calls himself a bigger leader than Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
To a question, Pattanshetty categorically said that he will seek a ticket from the BJP in coming assembly polls. He however did not reply directly when asked what he will do if the party denies a ticket like it did in the last assembly polls.
“I will talk to my followers and my well-wishers on my next move if I am denied ticket,” he said. He however made it clear that in any case, he will remain in the BJP and will never leave the party. At the same time, he hoped that the party would not create any situation that would force him to take any strong decision.