Vijayapura: In a major political move, the Bharatiya Janata party has expelled senior leaders and Basanagouda patil Yatnal, MLA of Bijapur City, for six years, but despite multiple warnings, it has repeatedly violated party discipline.
The expulsion marks a decisive step for the BJP Senior Command to enforce internal discipline ahead of key political developments in Karnataka.
The People’s Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection conveyed its decision in a letter dated March 26.
“The Party’s Central Commission for Discipline has considered your response to the performance notice of February 10, 2025, although you guarantee a guarantee of good conduct and good conduct and conduct for earlier events,” said Om Pathak, secretary of the Commission for Discipline Committee, although you express a guarantee of good conduct and response to earlier events.
It added: “So it has decided to fire you for 6 years and immediately have an immediate impact from the principal membership of the parties and you are evacuating from any party position you may have been in.”
Yatnal is a firepower leader known for his staunch Hindutva Stance and has a turbulent relationship with the BJP’s national leaders. Although he served as an influential position in the party, including as the Railways Minister for State in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, he often joined former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa in Loggerheads and is considered the supreme leader of the Karnataka BJP. His public criticism of Vijayendra’s national president, as well as his anti-Yediyurappa stance, ultimately led to his expulsion.
Yatnal publicly criticized Vijayendra’s BJP state president and organized parallel plans to position himself as a challenger led by Vijayendra.
When the state presidential election was announced, Yatnar and his camp planned to be candidates for Vijayandra. However, while maintaining public silence, the BJP High Command actively undermined his influence by blocking parallel initiatives including Ballari Padayatra. Despite the notice, Yatnal launched a public attack on Vijayendra, prompting the party’s leaders to impose disciplinary action on him.
Yatnal has been organizing parallel plans for violating party directives. When the BJP announced the issue of motor from Bangalore to Mysoru Padatara, he abstained. Instead, he, along with other leaders – Mla Ramesh Jarkiholi, former MLA Kumar Bangarappa and former MP Pratap Simha, cast a separate Padayatra to Ballari, highlighting alleged misunderstandings in Valmiki Corporation. However, the party disagrees with the initiative.
Tensions escalated when Yatnal’s verbal attack on Vijayendra, calling him a “collecting agent, who sent his father (BS Yediyurappa) to jail”. His allegations against Yediyurappa’s family and leadership have attracted attention within the BJP, especially after he often advocates for leadership change.
Party insiders suggested that Yatnal’s ruthless attack prompted high-level orders to act decisively. Although notice was issued in advance, his continued contempt made his expulsion inevitable.
Senior BJP leader told Deccan Chronicles This measure is crucial to restore party discipline before the NSW presidential election (or Vijayendra’s new term continues).
The party has issued a notice of Yatnal’s position. As he continues to make statements, especially strong personal attacks, many of them in many of the party believe the party may take strict action.
Yatnal’s political career was turbulent. He started his journey with the BJP and won the 1994 Karnataka Parliamentary Election from the Bijapur Constituency. Later, he won the Lok Sabha elections in Bijapur in 1999 and 2004. However, after the 2009 demarcation made the Bijapur Lok Sabha seat a constituency reserved by SC, he could not compete. He joined JD(S) in 2010. He participated in the 2013 Karnataka Congress elections as a JD(S) candidate, but lost.
That same year, he rejoined the BJP after differences within JD. However, in 2015, he was expelled from the BJP for six years for refusing to withdraw the independent candidates of the Bijapur local authority constituency elected by the Karnataka Legislative Council. Despite the party orders, he won the competition and won the victory, resulting in his expulsion for anti-party activities. He was later reintroduced to the BJP in 2018.
Party sources show that Yatnal remains influential due to his strong Hindu stance and his close ties to the Lingayat community. With the election still three years away, BJP insiders suggested that if the party is politically favorable, then Yatnal could be re-induced again – just like after his previous expulsion.
“Exit and redirection are not politically new. If the party is needed, he may send it back to the party again,” said one leader.
But for now, his removal demonstrates the BJP’s intention to maintain discipline and unity in its ranks, especially in preparing for the critical political challenges in Karnataka.
When the Congressional Government of Karnataka faces all sorts of charges, the BJP hopes that there will be a united or at least one “undivided unit” in Karnataka that can effectively fight the Congress.
Deportation will also send messages to all other leaders that they cannot express their ideas in public.
He added: “If Yatnal can be fired, then any other leader can be fired. Therefore, the expulsion will completely stop the uncontrolled statements and speeches of party leaders and workers.”
