People think PM doesn't care about K'taka, says BJP MLA

Bengaluru: A ruling BJP MLA said Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeting concern for Bihar flood victims and not with those affected in Karnataka has made people feel he did not care about the state as there were no immediate polls there.

Claiming that there were two power centres in the party, — one in Delhi and another in Bengaluru, Vijayapura City BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal alleged that the former faction wants to (politically) “finish off” Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

He alleged that Modi’s tweet sympathising with Bihar flood victimsand not those in flood hit Karnataka has made people conclude thathe was not bothered about the state because there were noimmediate elections in the state.

“Two power centres have emerged – one in Delhi and second one in Bengaluru. We are the victims of their fight. This is not I am saying, but people have started thinking on these lines. This is a target based politics. Just to finish off a person, you cannot finish Karnataka,” he told reporters here.

Apparently cautioning the party’s national leadership that the future of Karnataka was not in one person’s hand, he said the Centre cannot deny the flood relief and refuse to meet a person.

He was referring to the alleged failed attempts of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to meet Modi to seek central aid for the flood relief works.

“Despite so much (of damage due to floods in Karnataka), if he tweets about Bihar and does not tweet about us, how will we answer to the people of Karnataka?. Being a BJP MLA, I am also answerable to the people”, he said.

“People are commenting on Facebook about it that the Prime Minister tweets about Bihar and not about Karnataka, maybe because there are no immediate elections here. The party should take it seriously, otherwise it will lose its base in South India,” Yatnal opined.

He was referring to Modi’s tweet on Monday on the flood situation in Bihar.

The MLA also slammed the 25 BJP Lok Sabha members for their “silence” and reminded them that it was their duty to protect the interest of the people of the State.

Yatnal emphasised that these MPs should take a delegation from Karnataka and arrange a meeting with the Prime Minister.

He added that Modi should take the situation in Karnataka seriously because a wrong message was going to the people.

Yatnal’s comments come on a day when the opposition Congress and JD(Secular) slammed Modi, alleging that he has adopted an “indifferent behaviour” towards Karnataka on the issue of extending flood relief funds from the Centre.