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Mysuru: BJP President Amit Shah on Saturday claimed that the people of Karnataka have made up their minds to “throw out” the Siddaramaiah government in the elections slated for 12 May, as they were “disappointed” with it on several fronts, especially corruption.
Shah, who is on a tour of Mysuru, Mandya and Ramanagara districts, said that his party would put up a good show during the polls in the old Mysuru region.
“The people of Karnataka have made up their minds to throw out the Siddaramaiah government. They are disappointed with it on many fronts, with corruption being the main issue. The relationship between corruption and the Congress is akin to water and fish,” Shah said.
“The Karnataka government is like an ATM for the Congress to indulge in corruption,” he said, and alleged that this relationship of corruption has only been expedited by the Siddaramaiah government.
According to Shah, the JDS was not in a position to form a government because it can only win a few seats, BJP is the only party that can defeat the Congress.
Alleging that all parameters of development under the Siddaramaiah government were on the ebb, he said, “Though Bengaluru is mopping up revenue in good numbers, it is not percolating down to smaller cities and villages.”
On farmer suicides, the BJP president said, “As many as 3,500 farmers have committed suicide and Siddaramaiah is terming these as minor incidents. In my political life, I have never come across such an irresponsible statement on farmer suicides.”
Shah said the Congress government in the state was raking up the issue of Lingayat religion issue to prevent B.S. Yeddyurappa from becoming the chief minister after Karnataka elections. Yeddyurappa is a Lingayat strongman and the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate for Karnataka elections.
“This is a nefarious strategy of the Siddaramaiah government for political gains. Had Siddaramaiah been serious about giving minority status to Lingayats, he should have done it in the early stages of his five-year term. Why now, after four-and-a-half years?”
Shah claimed that the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had rejected a similar proposal in 2013.
When asked about the central government’s stand on Lingayat religion issue, Shah said: “We haven’t yet received the proposal in the administrative format. Why don’t you ask this state government why it has not sent it so far?” The BJP does not raise such emotional issues during elections as any comment on it highly impacts voters, he said, adding that his party would make its stand on the matter known after the election.
When asked whether there would be the same strategy for Karnataka elections as in the North-East states, Shah said: “There are different strategies for different states. It depends on a particular state’s dynamics.”
“The win in Karnataka elections will open the gates for the BJP to make inroads in South India,” he said.
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