Karnataka | How 'loose cannon' Yatnal ruined his own political chances

But for his loose tongue, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal could have gone places in the BJP, and Karnataka’s politics. But he has now become a liability to his own party.

Still stung by the electoral rout in May, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) now faces the tough task of disciplining some rebellious party leaders. Leading the list is Yatnal, the MLA from Vijayapura. Seemingly unconcerned about the consequences, Yatnal has turned against new Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra as well as the Leader of the Opposition, R Ashok.

Yatnal is not alone in creating trouble. Since May, the BJP has identified 11 leaders who have been making controversial remarks and indulging in mud-slinging. Others on the list are Renukacharya, Pratap Simha – who issued a pass to the Lok Sabha visitors’ gallery to one of the two whocreated mayhem inside Parliament on December 13 – and KS Eshwarappa.

Problem leaders

A few BJP leaders in Karnataka are being referred to as “stand-up entertainers”. While most fall in the category of being "dry and drab", some can deliver humour laced with rhetoric. KS Eshwarappa, CT Ravi, Pratap Simha and Yatnal fall squarely in the latter head.

Yatnal, a known rabble rouser, has become a thorn forthe BJP, observed a senior party leader who did not want to be identified by name. According to this source, party leaders have appealed to the high command to restrain Yatnal from embarrassing the BJP further. Understanding the gravity of the situation, the BJP has summoned Yatnal to New Delhi.

In his enthusiasm to embarrass Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Yatnal recently pushed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others into an awkward position. He accused Siddaramaiah of sharing a dais with Maulvi Tanveer Hashmi and calling the latter an ISIS sympathiser. In a post on social media platform X, he even asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah to order for a probe to unveil the truth.

Waiting to strike back, Siddaramaiah promptly posted a photo of Hashmi with Modi. He then asked the Centre to investigate the links of BJP leaders with Hashmi. He also tagged photographs of many prominent leaders cutting across party lines with Hashmi. This not only embarrassed the BJP leadership but also its new ally, the Janata Dal (Secular).

On the last day of the Assembly session at Belagavi, Siddaramaiah termed Yatnal a “critical insider” in the BJP and an jaana pedda (intelligent idiot).

“Yatnal, you know everything, act as if you don’t know anything,” Siddaramaiah chided Yatnal in a lighter vein. BJP leaders took recourse to silence, spotting the mockery.

Yatnal’s party colleagues call him a loose cannon. He is widely seen as an uncrowned king of political rhetoric in the state's northern districts.

After the May elections, Yatnal was angling for the post of state BJP president or Leader of Opposition. When the BJP picked Vijayendra and Ashok for the two posts, a disgruntled Yatnal started fuming against his own party.

Targeting BJP

He is now accusing the BJP of being biased against North Karnataka, and of promoting leaders from the southern districts in organisational and legislature posts.

When Yediyruappa headed the BJP when it took power in 2019, he did not consider the seniority of Yatnal while picking ministers. He could have joined the cabinet later but his tendency to speak out of turn damaged him, according to BJP insiders.

Last year, Yatnal created a storm by accusing BJP ministers of using blackmailing tactics and money to obtain their posts. In the run-up to Assembly polls, Yatnal was heard saying on a video which went viral that BJP councillors in the city must not do any work for Muslims in their wards. He also shocked everyone by saying that he would have ordered the police to shoot intellectuals had he been th Union home minister.

Yatnal was expelled from the BJP for “anti-party” activities after he attacked Yediyurappa once earlier. Then he joined the JD(S) and became a general secretary. He quit the party in 2013.

In another U-turn, he then got elected to the Legislative Council with the help of Yeddyurappa, who forgave Yatnal.

“Had Yatnal behaved with maturity, he would have emerged as an important Lingayat leader in Karnataka. But his bad mouth has spoiled his political career,” said a senior leader on the condition of anonymity.