Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Karnataka unit chief and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa has returned a precious gift, a Toyota car, to the donor. In a statement, the BJP leader, who has been made the party’s state unit’s president recently, made it clear that he will travel by train to assess the drought situation in the state.
Media reports say that the car was gifted to Yeddyurappa by Murugesh Nirani, a former minister. It can be recalled here that the state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had to return a Hublot, watch was reportedly gifted by the CM’s doctor friend. Following an uproar from the opposition, Siddaramaiah finally donated the prized watch to the State, now exhibited in the State Cabinet hall in Vidhana Soudha.
Now, Yeddyurappa, a la Siddaramaiah, faced harsh criticism from from his political opponents, especially the Congress with regard to accepting the car gift. In the statement, Yeddyurappa, an MP from Shivamogga, stated that the car is not a new one, but provided by Nirani to tour in the state. However, the Congress and critics did not convince by the explanation and Yeddyurappa returned the car to its owner Nirali.
In the statement, Yeddyurappa referred to the media stories being publishned on the car gift. “The car belongs to former minister Murugesh Nirani’s company. The car was being used in view of my safety and others who accompany me during the state tour of drought,” Yeddyurapa stated. He said that he used to tour in the state by utilising bus and train services and will do the same.
