Yediyurappa BJP's soul, Eshwarappa and Shettar its two eyes: Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel

MANGALURU: A day after an audio clip purportedly of state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel went viral, Nalin described chief minister BS Yediyurappa as the soul of the saffron party and senior ministers KS Eshwarappa and Jagadish Shetter as its two eyes. 

In the audio clip, the speaker was heard telling someone apparently over the phone that Yediyurappa will soon be replaced along with his cabinet colleagues Eshwarappa and Jagadish Shetter. He had also said that three names are doing rounds for the names of the chief minister post. 

When reporters sought his reaction to the explosive audio clip before he left for Delhi for the parliament session, Nailn denied that the voice in the audio clip was his and added that he will write to the chief minister seeking an inquiry into it to bring out the truth. In the past, several such incidents have taken place in politics which is not right and hence there should an investigation 

Asked whether there is any proposal to drop Eshwarappa and Shetter from the cabinet, he said: “there is no discussion on changing leadership or any others (ministers). So the question is irrelevant. Yediyurappa is like soul of our party and Eshwarappa and Shetter are like its two eyes,” he maintained. 

To a query, he said he will definitely seek legal remedy for the issue. Asked whether he suspects the hand of BJP leaders or that of opposition parties behind the audio, he said the inquiry will bring out the truth.