Karnataka BJP MLA Arvind Bellad, who is said to be from the faction of the party that is seeking Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's ouster, on Thursday alleged that his phone was being tapped. He said the phone tapping was part of attempts to fix him as part of some conspiracy, in order to defame him. The MLA from Hubli-Dharwad West said he has petitioned Home Minister Basavaraj S Bommai and Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri in this regard for an inquiry and to get the matter investigated. Incidentally, this startling allegation came even as a seemingly damage control exercise by the BJP’s state in-charge Arun Singh, who held meetings with various leaders and claimed there is no talk of change in leadership in the state.
"A few days ago when I returned a call that I had missed, a person said his name was Yuvraj Swamy and wanted to speak to me about political developments and my name being heard in it. As I could not recognise who he was, I had cut short the discussion and disconnected the call," he said. "Again after three four days he called claiming that he was unnecessarily put in jail and was in hospital now," Bellad said.
Speaking to reporters, he said there was a "conspiracy" behind sudden calls to him in recent days from Yuvraj Swamy, a person who is facing cases and someone whom he has not known or spoken to in the past. "Despite my father Chandrakant Bellad being a five time MLA, his political life was without a black mark...as his son I'm also following in his footsteps...unable to find any fault in me, I feel attempts are being made to fix me by making such people call and talk to me...big hands are behind it," he added.
Yuvraj Swamy, who Bellad is referring to, is said to be the same person who had reportedly claimed to have ties with central political leaders and powerful right-wing organisations and had allegedly conned several people taking money with assurances that he would get the plum positions. Bellad said he has submitted a letter to the Assembly Speaker, Home Minister, and state police chief seeking an inquiry and action, and also providing him with police protection.
He claimed his movements were also being monitored. "Several times I have noticed that when I go to someplace all of a sudden some people follow me there, how are they coming, how do they get to know about my movement.”
“All these things make me feel that my phone has been tapped and it is being monitored," he said, adding that he has no suspicion on any one and an inquiry should be conducted to find out who is behind it.
Reacting to Bellad's phone tapping allegations, Chief Minister's political secretary and MLA MP Renukacharya termed it "cheap publicity" and said, "no one's phone is tapped, people are daydreaming about becoming Chief Minister..." BJP state general secretary N Ravi Kumar said, "There is no question of tapping Bellad's phone, he is our legislator. I don't know why he has made such a statement, the party won't accept it, the party will talk to him."