Supreme Court to hear Congress plea on Yediyurappa’s leaked clip tomorrow

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear plea by Congress on the leak clip in which Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa was heard saying that the rebel MLAs were “kept in Mumbai under the watch of BJP president Amit Shah”.

Senior advocate and Congress leader Kapil Sibal mentioned the matter before the top court, which agreed to hear the plea on Tuesday.

Read | 'Distorted my statement': Yeddy on leaked clip, Cong to approach SC today

Last month, the top court reserved its verdict on petitions challenging the disqualification of 17 Karnataka MLAs before the trust vote of the HD Kumaraswamy government.

In the seven-minute clip, Yediyurappa expressed anguish against leaders at a recent party meeting in Hubballi over their opposition to giving tickets to disqualified Congress-JD(S) MLAs for the December 5 Assembly bypolls in 15 Assembly constituencies has surfaced.

“Somehow today the way you (party leaders) spoke, did not seem to be intended at saving this government. You are aware that the decision on 17 (MLAs) was not taken by Yediyurappa or any other state leader. It was known to the national president and under his watch for about two or two-and-a-half (months) they were kept in Mumbai and things happened. All of you are aware of it, right?" the chief minister was heard in the clip.

Read | Rebel Cong-JDS MLAs were under BJP watch, Yeddy heard in leaked clip

"For 2.5 to 3 months they did not go to their constituency or see their wives and children and were put up there... You are aware of it, right?" he can be heard asking party leaders.

Reacting to the audio, former chief minister and JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy said, “How the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) misused power and money was exposed yesterday. Now people have to judge them.”

Congress’s KC Venugopal said: “I think you all are aware of the latest video of BS Yediyurappa related to poaching of Congress and JD(S) MLAs. We have always said that BJP is misusing govt agencies to poach MLAs, now it's established beyond doubt. We'll approach Supreme Court with the evidence.”

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