Who is BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal, Expelled from The Party for 6 Years?

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expelled its Karnataka MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal for six years over his ‘anti-party’ remarks. The letter issued by BJP’s Central Disciplinary Committee said that they reviewed Yatnal’s response to a show-cause notice issued to him on February 10 and took "serious note" of his "repeated violations of party discipline." The expulsion order, signed by Om Pathak, the committee's member secretary, also noted that Yatnal was removed from any party positions he held.

"It has accordingly been decided to expel you for a period of 6 years with immediate effect," it added. 

Basangouda recently sparked controversy through his remarks on actor Ranya Rao, who is currently in custody in a gold smuggling case. He said that the actor had hidden gold "all over her body". "There were lapses by customs officials, and necessary action should be taken against them. She (Ranya Rao) had gold all over her body, hiding it wherever she had holes, and smuggled it in," Yatnal told reporters in Kannada. 

‘Decision to Suspend Me Will Not Deter My Fight Against Corruption’ 

Basanagouda R Patil responded to the party’s decision and said, "The party has expelled me for 6 years for speaking against dynasty politics, corruption, reforms within the party, remove one man upmanship & request to develop North Karnataka. The party has rewarded me for 'Calling a Spade, a Spade'. Certain vested interests have played their part in furthering their agenda successfully. The decision to suspend me will not deter my fight against corruption, family politics, development of North Karnataka & Hindutva. I will continue to serve my people with the same vigour & tenacity. I thank all the Karyakarthas, well-wishers, friends, acquaintances, Swamijis, Media, my Family which has been a pillar of support & the almighty…”

Who is Basangouda Patil Yatnal?

This is not the first time that Basangouda Patil Yatnal has been expelled by the party, back in 2015, he was expelled for six years after he refused to withdraw his nomination as an independent candidate for the Bijapur Local Authorities constituency in the Karnataka Legislative Council. Despite this, he won the election, along with S. R. Patil of the Indian National Congress . Yatnal rejoined the BJP in 2018 after three-years.