BJP ‘Horse-Trading’ Audio Tapes: “You’ll Be 100 Times Wealthier”

Congress released tapes of BJP allegedly trying to buy its MLAs. The BJP, however, claims the tapes are fake.

Three audio tapes were released by the Congress. 

(Photo: Arnica Kala/The Quint)

Video Editor: Vishal Kumar

Former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa’s emotional speech before his resignation, crying foul against the Congress-JD(S) coalition, was an attempt to create sympathy for his party. By playing the victim, the BJP wanted to consolidate its position ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP’s political statements alleged that the Congress and JD(S) had used dirty tricks to deny the BJP its rightful place in power. However, a series of audio tapes released by the Congress, where the BJP leaders were allegedly heard enticing Congress leaders with money and position to support the BJP, poured cold water over Yeddyurappa’s hopes.

Tape 1:

In the first tape, the Congress claims that BJP’s Yeddyurappa tried to bribe Congress’ BC Patil by offering him a cabinet position. In the alleged conversation, Yeddyurappa could be heard telling Patil: “Don’t go to Kochi, come back. Come back we’ll make you a Minister and help you in whatever way you want.”

Tape 2:

In the second tape, the conversation is alleged to be a follow-up to an earlier conversation with BS Yeddyurappa. In this second conversation, BJP’s Sriramulu is heard offering money to BC Patil and three other MLAs. Asking how much money the MLAs are expecting, Sriramulu offers Rs 10-15 crore and ministerial posts to Patil and the MLAs with him.

Tape 3:

The third audio tape was of a conversation between BJP’s Janardhan Reddy and Congress MLA Basavanagouda Daddal.

Daddal, a former BJP leader, had left the party in 2010 and joined the then-newly formed BSR Congress headed by Sriramulu. Ahead of the 2018 elections, the BSR Congress was dysfunctional, and the BJP refused to Daddal a ticket. Daddal then approached the Congress, and contesting on a Congress ticket, won the election.

“You will become minister. I will make you meet the big man. I will make you speak to him. You will make 100 times the wealth you made so far,” says Janardhan Reddy during the phone call to entice him. But Daddal refused the offer.

The ‘Dirty Tricks’ Department?

Meanwhile, the BJP claimed that these audio tapes were fake. “The dirty tricks department of the Congress is working now full-time because they are facing defeat. So, now they are trying to sabotage and defame the BJP by producing fake CDs. We condemn such activities of the Congress and we completely denounce it. We are saying these are fake CDs. A forensic investigation will confirm the forgery,” said BJP leader Prakash Javadekar.