Reddy's CD bomb fails to explode, says BJP

Bangalore, Aug 23 (UNI) Continuing to distance itself from the Rs 150 crore bribery allegation levelled by its suspended legislator G Janardhana Reddy against Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, the BJP today said its bond with the ruling JD (S) had further been strengthened.

Mr Reddy released evidences such as CDs, audio tapes and some documents to the media at Bellary today to prove his charge that Mr Kumaraswamy and Forests Minister C Chennigappa had taken a bribe of Rs 150 crore from the mining lobby in Bellary district.

When contacted by UNI, BJP State president D Sadananda Gouda described as 'shallow' the documentary evidences released by Mr Reddy and said the suspicion over the stability of the JD(S)-BJP coalition government was cleared now.

He said the party had all along been maintaining that Mr Reddy had no evidence to substantiate his allegation and it was proved right today. The disciplinary action initiated by the party against him on the issue has been justified, he added.

To a question, he denied Mr Reddy had taken permission from him before releasing the evidences to the media.

He said he would submit a report to the party High Command on Mr Reddy's conduct along with media reports. He had already submitted a report to the Party Central Parliamentry Committee seeking disciplinary action against party MP Basavaraj Patil Yatnal for extending support to Mr Reddy.

Senior BJP leaders and Ministers K S Eshwarappa, V S Acharya and B Nagaraja Shetty also urged the party top brass to initiate disciplinary action against Mr Reddy for failing to prove his charge.

Addressing a joint press conference at Soratikal, about 20 km from Mangalore, they said Mr Reddy's much-hyped 'CD Bomb' had failed to explode.

They said Mr Reddy should be expelled for trying to confuse the party members and public by making ''false allegations.'' Mr Yatnal should also be suspended for supporting Mr Reddy, they added.

The Ministers alleged that unable to frame any charge against the JD (S)-BJP coalition government, the Congress leaders were trying to create confusion through Mr Reddy and demanded an apology from them for ''deceiving the public.'' UNI MV-MA RG AK RN2327