Yatnal rules out rejoining BJP under ‘corrupt family’ leadership, vows launching his JCB Party
New Delhi/Bengaluru (PTI): Expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on Monday ruled out rejoining the saffron party as long as what he termed a “corrupt family” continues to lead the party in Karnataka.
He also announced that his yet-to-be-launched JCB Party will come to power in the state, and he will be the next Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, the Vijayapura MLA said he had not come to the national capital to meet BJP leaders and dismissed speculation that he was lobbying to return to the party.
"I am not the kind of person who goes to someone’s house pleading to be taken into the BJP or begging for favour. Don’t run such stories tomorrow unnecessarily. We are open about everything. I have no need to go there and fall at someone’s feet for politics," Yatnal said. He said his visit to the capital was purely personal.
"I have come here for personal reasons—to attend the wedding of a friend’s son and to meet some of our old friends," he added.
Responding to a question on whether he would return to the BJP, Yatnal said he would not accept the leadership of what he described as a ‘corrupt family’ in the party’s Karnataka unit.
"We are people who live with self-respect. We will not accept the leadership of this corrupt family. As long as that corrupt family remains in the leadership of the BJP in Karnataka, the question of joining the BJP does not arise," he said.
He alleged that the BJP leadership in Karnataka was concentrated within the family of former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa.
Yatnal also indicated about floating a new political party.
"If needed, I will form my own regional party. Why would I sit and wait here? I’m not foolish enough to sit and wait," he said.
"I have my JCB Party ready—if the time comes to build a party, I will take the right decision and build it," he said.
Expressing confidence, Yatnal said, his proposed party will come to power in the state.
Let anyone conduct any survey they want. No matter how many surveys are done, it will be our party that will come to power in Karnataka—and I will be the Chief Minister,” he said.
There was no immediate reaction from Yediyurappa or his family members on Yatnal’s tirade.
A staunch critic of Yediyurappa and his alleged dynasty politics, Yatnal had openly criticised the former CM, prompting the BJP leadership to expel him from the party for six years for his ‘anti-party activities’ in March, 2025.
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Karnataka govt inks pact for Centre of Excellence in Agri & Allied Innovation in Kalaburagi
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Monday signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Krishi Kalpa Foundation to establish a Centre of Excellence in Agri and Allied Domain with a rural focused intervention in Kalaburagi, officials said.
The Memorandum of Agreement was signed by the Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science &
Technology through the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), they said.
According to official statement, the Centre of Excellence (CoE) will be established under the Local Economy Acceleration Programme (LEAP) — the Government of Karnataka’s flagship Rs 1,000 crore, five-year initiative aimed at accelerating regional innovation, entrepreneurship and technology-led economic growth across emerging clusters beyond Bengaluru.
Building on the government’s earlier announcement of a Centre for Entrepreneurship in Kalaburagi, this agreement formalises the operational framework to establish a dedicated research, innovation and entrepreneurship hub focused on agriculture and allied sectors, with a strong emphasis on rural innovation and technology adoption.
As the implementing partner, NGO Krishi Kalpa Foundation will operationalise the Centre of Excellence and lead its programmatic activities, including innovation programmes, startup support, research initiatives, and capacity-building efforts aligned with the objectives of the Karnataka government, officials said.
The CoE will support research and development, skill development, innovation programmes, and industry–academia partnerships, while helping local innovators build scalable products and enterprises that address challenges across the agricultural value chain, they said.
Speaking on the initiative, IT Minister Priyank Kharge said, "Kalyana Karnataka has immense potential to emerge as a hub for innovation in agriculture and rural enterprise. Through the LEAP programme, the Government of Karnataka is committed to bringing technology, entrepreneurship and opportunity closer to our communities beyond Bengaluru.
"The Centre of Excellence in Kalaburagi will create a strong platform for farmers, startups, researchers and young innovators to collaborate on cutting-edge agri-tech solutions, while strengthening livelihoods and driving sustainable economic growth across the region," he said.
The agreement will remain in force for a period of five years, during which the CoE will work towards building a vibrant rural innovation ecosystem and accelerating technology-led development in agriculture and allied sectors across the Kalyana Karnataka region, officials added.
