Day after admitting he was offered money to join BJP, Karnataka MLA makes U-turn

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Bengaluru: A day after claiming that he was offered money to join BJP, Karnataka MLA Shrimant Balasaheb Patil, who was with Congress prior to the fall of the HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition government, on Monday (September 13) made a U-turn saying that he was never approached with money to make the move.

Contrary to his previous statement, Patil said that he was not offered any money and that he only wanted a good portfolio in the government.

“No one approached me with money. I went to them on my own. When BJP asked me why do I want to support them, I told them I do not want anything, just a good portfolio if they form a government. Even if someone offers me money, I will not accept,” Patil was quoted as saying by ANI.

On Sunday, talking to media persons, the Kagwad MLA had said that he was offered money to join BJP and that he “could have asked for as much as (he) wanted”.

“I have joined BJP without taking any offer of money. I was offered money to join the party. I could have asked for as much as I wanted. I did not ask for money, I asked them to give me a minister`s post to serve the people,” Patil had said.

Commenting on this statement, the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, Siddaramaiah said, "BJP offered money to Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs. They have given Rs 25-35 crores. Shrimant Patil has made a correct statement."

Patil was one of the 16 MLAs who joined BJP leading to the fall of Congress-JD(S) government in 2019.

After the Yediyurappa government formed in the state, he was given a ministerial berth. However, he was dropped from the cabinet after BS Yediyurappa resigned and Basavaraj Bommai became the chief minister.

Patil, however, hopes that he would regain a ministerial berth in the next Cabinet expansion.

"I do not know why I was not given a ministership in the present government. But I have been promised that I will get a minister`s post in the next expansion. I had a word with Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai," he said.