Yediyurappa hits back, denies meeting Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, Oct 14 (IANS) Former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa took to social media to proclaim that he will not rest until he puts BJP into the seat of power in Karnataka in the next assembly elections."We are working with an objective to bring BJP into power in the upcoming assembly elections. I never met Opposition leader Siddaramaiah individually. There is no need for that. I have only met him on Feb 27, 2020, on the occasion of my birthday," he explained.Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had issued a controversial statement saying that, BJP is targeting Yediyurappa's aides and close circle through IT raids as he has met Siddaramaiah in Mysuru to discuss the weakening of the ruling BJP in Karnataka.Kumaraswamy had further said that the raids are being conducted to tame Yediyurappa and his son B.Y. Vijayendra. However, the sources in the party stated that, after the sensational findings of the Income Tax Department, during the recent raids in Bengaluru and other places on Yediyurappa's close aide B.R. Umesh and others, the senior leader who has started to assert himself against the BJP high command has softened his stand.Yediyurappa had earlier said that the 'Modi wave' alone could not win elections in Karnataka. One of his confidantes Suresh Gowda has resigned as the President of the Tumakuru district BJP unit. Though the BJP appointed two of his supporters as the political secretaries of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and accorded them cabinet status, Yediyurappa was not happy. He has planned to take a state tour which has been scuttled by the party leaders. Bommai has asserted for the first time after taking over as the Chief Minister that the next assembly elections would be fought under his leadership as per the directions of the party. It has been crucial for the party to keep Yediyurappa in their fold at the same time not allow him to hijack the party. Sources say that all objectives have been fulfilled.During the search and seizure undisclosed income of about Rs 750 crore was found. Out of this, an aggregate amount of Rs 487 crore has been admitted by the respective group entities as their undisclosed income. The searches commenced on Oct 7 have been carried out at 47 premises spread across 4 states.During the search, unaccounted cash of Rs 4.69 crore; unaccounted jewellery and bullion valued at Rs 8.67 crore; and silver articles valued at Rs 29.83 lakh have been seized.Sources explained that there are all chances of money trail reaching Yediyurappa as the raids were allegedly focussed on Irrigation, highways department during his tenure involving implementation of various projects of more than Rs 20,000 crore.
--IANS mka/skp/

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