NEW DELHI: A day after being expelled from the BJP for six years, rebel Karnataka MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal strongly criticised the party leadership, claiming he was punished for speaking out against “dynasty politics” and corruption.
In a detailed post on his ‘X’ handle, Yatnal accused vested interests within the party of weakening the BJP’s hold in Karnataka, particularly in constituencies such as Kalburgi, Koppal, Raichur, Bellary, and Chikkodi, which had once been considered BJP strongholds.

Yatnal also expressed frustration over the party’s failure to take action against those involved in “adjustment politics,” which he believes contributed to the party’s defeat. He pointed out that while reform-minded leaders like him had been suspended or given notices, those who engaged in family-centric politics were allowed to go unpunished.
The BJP expelled Yatnal, a strong critic of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa and his son BY Vijayendra, for six years after issuing him two show-cause notices. Yatnal has repeatedly accused the Yediyurappa family of promoting dynasty politics and undermining the party’s growth.
Yatnal also highlighted how the party leadership had failed to acknowledge the weakening of the BJP in the Kalyana Karnataka region, which he helped build from scratch over the past three decades.
He pointed out the defeat in North Karnataka, a region with a strong BJP voter base, and noted that adjustment politics played a significant role in the party’s loss in the Shiggaon by-poll, once held by former CM Basavaraj Bommai.
In his post, Yatnal also lamented the party’s inability to counter the Congress government’s policies effectively, which he believes contributed to the defeat in several by-polls, including the Davangere Lok Sabha seat, where the party had once been strong. He criticised party leaders for forgetting the contributions of former leaders like G. Mallikarjunappa, who had worked hard to strengthen the party.
Further, Yatnal took credit for his own contributions, such as launching the Waqf protests, ensuring justice for farmers, and filing a petition in the High Court regarding the misappropriation case in the Valmiki Board. He accused the party of ignoring his development work and succumbing to vested interests that wanted him removed.
Yatnal concluded by stating that he would continue to serve his people and uphold the principle of “Nation First, Party Next, Self Last,” despite the party’s actions against him. He warned that without reforms, the BJP’s infighting and adjustment politics would lead the party to a new low in Karnataka.
In it’s expulsuion order, the BJP accused Yatnal of indiscipline.
“Central Disciplinary Committee of the party has considered your response to the show cause notice dated 10 February 2025 and has taken serious note of your repeated violation of the party discipline, despite your assurances of good behavior and conduct in response to earlier show cause notices,” the order issued by the CDC member Om Pathak said.
“It has accordingly been decided to expel you for a period of six years with immediate effect from the primary membership of the party and you stand removed from any party position that you may hold until now,” it added.

Yediyurappa’s son and state BJP chief Vijayendra termed Yatnal’s expulsion an “unfortunate necessity”.
“There has never been, nor will there ever be any compromise on discipline and ideology-values that have been steadfastly upheld by our esteemed senior leaders and the leadership before us,” Vijayendra said in a post on ‘X’.
He said after thorough deliberation on recent developments within the party, a disciplinary action against Yatnal has been taken.
(With agency inputs)