Vijayapura: The BJP expelled former Union minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal from the party for a second time on Saturday after he failed to withdraw his nomination as a rebel candidate from the Vijayapura double-member constituency for the Legislative Council elections.
The action came in after Yatnal refused to relent and withdraw his nomination. A press release from BJP State President Prahlad Joshi stated that the act of Yatnal has been considered as an anti-party over.
According to a BJP leader, BJP?national vice president B?S?Yeddyurappa was informed about Yatnal’s rebellious stand, but the former chief minister refrained from reacting. However, Joshi decided to immediately take disciplinary action, sources said.
Yatnal and Minister S R Patil have locked horns in the Vijayapura double-member constituency. Senior leaders Jagadish Shettar and Yeddyurappa had made a vain bid to convince Yatnal to withdraw from the fray.
Yatnal has said that senior BJP leader Jagdish Shettar did convince him to withdraw the nomination, but since the party did not promise him anything, he would contest as a rebel candidate.