B S Yeddyurappa’s Alleged call to Cong MLA: ‘Come Back, We will Make you Minister’

BENGALURU:
Hours before the floor test of the B S Yeddyurappa government in the Karnataka assembly, the Congress released two audio tapes one of the Chief Minister and another of BJP leaders Sriramulu and P Muralidhar Rao in which they are purportedly trying to lure a Congress MLA into the party fold. Yeddyurappa, in a telephonic conversation to MLA B C Patil, is heard saying, “Don’t go to Kochi, come back. We’ll make you a minister and help you in whatever way you want.” Similar Sriramulu is also heard offering bribe to bring Patil and four other Congress MLAs into BJP.
The call was reportedly made to the MLA when all the elected Congress leaders were being shifted to a resort in Kochi after the Governor invited Yeddyurappa to form the government and prove majority within 15 days. Patil, who told Yeddyurappa that he has confidence in the chief minister, said that he has three more MLAs under his influence.