BS Yeddyurappa denies Rs 5 crore was offered to Cong-JDS MLAs

BJP's state unit president B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday denied the allegations of his party offering Rs 5 crore to the MLAs of Congress-JDS coalition in the state and said the two parties were trying to delay the trust vote by "playing games".

"The Congress and the JDS are playing games. How many days will this go on to? Monday is the last day. The Rs 5 crore allegations are all lies. They are trying to divert the matter," said Yeddyurappa at a press conference here.

The State Assembly on Friday failed to meet the deadline set by Governor Vajubhai Vala to complete the process of trust vote after Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy challenged the directive in the Supreme Court.

The trust vote is now scheduled for Monday after the adjournment of the House.

Yeddyurappa also spoke about MLA Srimanth Patil, who was admitted in Mumbai's St George's Hospital after he complained of chest pain and denied Karnataka Congress' claims that the BJP had "abducted" its MLA ahead of the trust vote of Kumaraswamy-led government.

"Srimanth Patil has informed the doctor himself that he was not abducted and gone on his own free will. He has even informed the Speaker," said Yeddyurappa.

The former Chief Minister also expressed confidence that the floor test will be held on Monday as promised by Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar and added that the rebel MLAs could not be compelled to come to the Assembly.

"According to the Supreme Court, the rebels are not compelled to come to the Assembly. We have belief in the Speaker that he will hold the floor test on Monday itself. He has assured us that it will be done," he added.