Hours before presenting the state budget, chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy held a hurrily convened press conference and released two audio clips allegedly of BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa trying to lure Gurumitkal JDS MLA Naganagouda Kandkur with money and promise of a ministry. Man allegedly BJP MLA Shivanagouda Nayak also present at the meeting, is also heard saying that they had managed the speaker, as well paying him ₹50 crore, to accept resignations, kicking up a storm.
Minutes later, Mr. Yeddyurappa denied meeting anyone and said the audio was fake and showed how desperate the chief minister was. He offered to retire from politics within 24 hours if allegations that he tried buy up the speaker were proved.
Going on an offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chief minister said the prime minister speaking in Lok Sabha on Thursday “posits himself as the only saviour of the country and its democracy, claiming to have eradicated blackmoney. On the other hand he is encouraging his friends here to demolish democracy through blackmoney. Your friends are exposing your real face,” he said coming down heavily on the chief minister. “The audio clip includes a conversation in which allegedly BJP MLA Shivanagouda Nayak tells the son of JDS MLA that Narendra Modi and Amit Shah had even managed the high court and supreme court judges. This is how BJP is handling institutions,” he said requesting all leaders of opposition to take up the issue in parliament on Friday.
The audio clips have conversations MLA's son Sharanagouda allegedly had with B.S. Yeddyurappa at Yadgir Circuit House in the wee hours of Friday, the chief minister said. Mr. Sharanagouda, who recorded the conversation, was also present at the CM press conference on Friday morning. A person said to be Mr. Yeddyurappa is heard wooing Mr. Sharanagouda to BJP asking him to go to Mumbai where he says 11 rebel MLAs have been holed up. “I will look after you like my son. Your father is old. So let him resign, you stand for the bye-election. Before that I will make you a minister in my government and make you Yadgir district in-charge minister. Your political career is my responsibility,” he is heard saying. He is also heard saying the government will fall in four days and he would be chief minister. When Mr. Sharangouda expresses doubts on the victory in the bye-election, he is heard promising to give him ₹10 crore beforehand and “anyway you will be minister, our government will be there, we will take care,” he says.
A man said to be Mr. Yeddyurappa is heard saying they were poaching 18-20 MLAs, of whom 12 will be made ministers and 8 chairpersons of boards and corporations. “There are 10 MLAs in Mumbai to which Dr. Sudhakar joined taking the tally to 11. Tomorrow two more MLAs will leave to Mumbai after the session. If you also come, we will have 14 and we can go ahead,” he is head saying.
Mr. Sharanagouda told media persons on Friday that on the instructions of Mr. Yeddyurappa he spoke to his son and BJP leader B.Y. Vijayendra who promised him ₹25 crore for switching sides and ₹25 crore to fight bye-elections apart from a ministry. “Yeddyurappa called me at around 11:30 p.m. I did not take the call. But the third time, I received the call when he asked me to meet him. I took time to decide. I immediately called the chief minister and again called Yeddyurappa from another phone. Kumaraswamy listened to what Yeddyurappa was offering live on another line. I later went to the circuit house and recorded the conversation,” he said.
The Chief Minister said he will submit the tapes to assembly speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar since his name was also defamed for suitable action. "We have seen Ramesh Kumar from close quarters for decades now and we know about his honesty," he said expressing confidence in the speaker.