India
Congress releases another audio clip
Updated : May 19, 2018, 02:48 PM IST
To prove its claim that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is poaching opposition MLAs, the Congress on Saturday released another damning audio clip, allegedly between Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and a party legislator.
This comes a day after the party released a purported audio conversation between mining baron Janardhana Reddy and a Congress MLA to back its claim of poaching.
The floor test will be held at 4 PM on Saturday in the Karnataka Assembly where Yeddyurappa will have to prove majority.
In the latest clip that was released by the Congress along with the transcript today, Yeddyurappa is allegedly offering a ministerial berth to Congress Hirekerur MLA BC Patil.
In the conversation, a man suspected to be Yeddyurappa is asking Patil not to board the bus going to Cochi. The MLA, however, does not give him a definite answer and promises to call back in 5 minutes.
The Congress said the conversation was recorded by the MLA himself.
In another claim, the Congress said that Yeddyurappa's son BY Vijayendra called the wife of a Congress MLA to offer Rs 15 crore.
"He (BJP's BY Vijayendra) called the wife of a Congress MLA and asked her to request to her husband to vote for Yeddyurappa. He said 'we'll give your husband a ministry or else we'll give Rs. 15 crore to your husband'," Congress leader VS Ugrappa said.
Here is the transcript of the purported audio conversation between Yeddyurappa and Patil (Transcript, as well as the audio, was released by the Congress and we are reproducing the same here):
BC Patil - Hello ... hello... hello ... give him the phone (asking the man who called to hand the phone over)
Yeddyurappa - hello
BC- Anna namaskara, congratulations
BSY- Where are you?
BC Patil - going to Cochin in the bus
BSY- Don’t go to Cochin, come back. come back we’ll make you a Minister and help you in whatever way you want.
BC Patil - Anna.. okay..you’ve told me now.. if you tell me something about what next..
BSY: I could only tell you when the time was right, which is why I’m doing it now. Now don’t go to kochi, come back
BCP: But we’re in the bus
BSY: Don’t go, Make some excuse and come back
BCP: So what will be my position
BSY: You will become a minister
BCP: Anna I have 3 other people with me
BSY: Bring them with you, you have faith in me no?
BCP: Yes yes
BSY: Now come back, don’t go in the bus
BCP: Okay Anna okay
BSY: Once you go to Cochin, the matter is closed because we won’t be able to catch you.
BCP: Okay okay Anna
BSY: Now tell me what you’re going to do
BCP: I’ll Call you back in 5 minutes and tell you
The Congress had yesterday released a purported audio conversation between Reddy and a Congress MLA.
Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar had, however, said the audio was "utter falsehood." "We condemn the actions of the Congress' dirty tricks department," he said.