BJP expels MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal for 6 years over ‘anti-party’ remarks

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, March 27, 2025: Taking a serious view of the rebellion in the Bharatiya Janata Party State unit, the party central leadership has finally expelled rebel leader and senior MLA Basanagouga Patil Yatnal from the party for six years.

It may be noted that former Union Minister Yatnal, who represents Bijapur in the State Assembly now, was leading the rebellion against party State president B.Y. Vijayendra and his father and veteran leader B. S. Yediyurappa. Mr. Yatnal had publicly criticised them and even accused them of indulging in corruption. He had publicly demanded ouster of Mr. Vijayendra as party State president.

The expulsion order comes a day after issuing show cause notices to five leaders in the BJP State unit including two from the camp of party state president B.Y. Vijayendra. Also the expulsion has been effected just ahead of the party choosing its new State president.

The Central Disciplinary Committee of the party had issued him show cause notices on several occasions while the last notices had been issued on December 02, 2024, and February 10, 2025, asking him to show cause as to why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him.

“The Central Disciplinary Committee has considered your response to the show cause notice dated February 10 and has taken serious note of your repeated violations of the party discipline, despite your assurances of good behavior and conduct in response to earlier show cause notices,” said the Central Disciplinary Committee Member Secretary Om Pathak in the expulsion order issued on Wednesday (March 26, 2025).

“It has accordingly been decided to expel you for a period of six years with immediate effect from the primary membership of the party and you stand removed from any party position that you may held until now,” the expulsion order said.

Party has expelled me for fighting against corruption, says Yatnal

Reacting strongly to the expulsion, Mr. Yatnal posted on social media platform X: “The party has expelled me for 6 years for speaking against dynasty politics, corruption and seeking reforms within the party, removing one upmanship & request to develop North Karnataka. The party has rewarded me for calling a spade, a spade. Certain vested interests have played their part in furthering their agenda successfully.”

He declared that the decision to suspend him will not deter his fight against corruption, family politics, development of North Karnataka and Hindutva. “I will continue to serve my people with the same vigour and tenacity. I thank all the Karyakarthas, well wishers, friends, acquaintances, Swamijis, media, my family, which has been a pillar of support & the almighty.”

He also remarked, “While I write this, I fondly remember what saint poet Purandara Dasaru said sathyavantarigidu kaalavalla (this is not the time for honest).

Unfortunate, says Vijayendra

Minutes after the party central leadership announced expulsion of Mr. Yatnal, Mr. Vijayendra maintained that the disciplinary action against Mr. Yatnal was an inevitable decision made by the party central leadership after analysing the developments for a long time.

In an obvious reference to Mr. Yatnal attacking him and his father, Mr. Vijayendra said he had exercised restrain and had desisted from complaining to Central leadership in this regard.

Terming the expulsion of Mr. Yatnal as “unfortunate”, Mr. Vijayendra said he would not rejoice the action against Mr. Yatnal. He would now go forward in strengthening the party organisation by taking all the leaders and party workers into confidence, Mr. Vijayendra said, and made it clear that all the senior leaders in the party had the right to correct him if he makes any mistakes while executing his responsibilities as party State president.