In a major row, State BJP president BS Yeddyurappa ahead of the two bypolls has seen giving money to a farmers family in the poll-bound constituency on Saturday. A video grab circulated shows Yeddyurappa giving Rs 2,000 notes to a family of a farmer who had committed suicide recently. The Congress was quick to file a complaint with the Election Commission. However, Yeddyurappa clarified that he offered financial assistance to the farmers family on humanitarian grounds.
Responding to the attack by the ruling Congress, Yeddyurappa said he was giving relief of Rs 1 lakh to the family of a farmer, who had committed suicide recently, and that it had nothing to do with elections to Gundlupete and Nanjanagudu on Sunday.
The video shows Yeddurappa interacting with the family members before handing over the money to them. Someone present at the spot can also be heard asking cameramen not to record and switch off their cameras.
He said “On behalf of the party, we have given Rs 1 lakh donation. We were about to leave before 5 pm (when the campaigning ends). Renukacharya (former Minister) had already come here a couple of days back and had spent time with them and collected information,” Yeddyurappa told reporters.
“If this government has any shame or decency, a minister should have visited this place with Rs 10 lakh cheque. This government has no humanity,” he alleged.
Yeddyurappa had yesterday visited Voddana Hosahalli village in poll-bound Gundlupet constituency and met the family of deceased farmer Chikkamada Shetty.
In fact Unable to repay the heavy loan of Rs 7 lakh which he had taken for drilling borewells, the farmer had committed suicide. Yeddyurappa had visited the family of the farmer and was seen handing out the money in Rs 2,000 denomination currency notes. Congress party called it to be a case of violation of the model code of conduct. meanwhile BJP came out in support of its chief and said that Yeddyurappa had visited the family to offer his condolences but after seeing the dire situation of the family, which was going through a major financial crisis, and in which small children were going hungry, he helped them by offering money.
Meanwhile, BJP had lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against Congress women’s wing president laxmi Hebbalkar. A video had surfaced in which laxmi was seen distributing new currency notes to the voters from Hannurkeri village of Gundlupet constituency.
The two bypolls in Nanjangudu (reserved) and at Gundulpete constituencies have become litmus test for chief Minister Siddaramaiah and for the ruling Congress.