BJP national president JP Nadda on Tuesday attacked the Congress, accusing it of withdrawing cases against Popular Front of India (PFI) and appealed people to vote for a “double-engine” Government by rejecting the “appeasement politics”.
Karnataka is set for election for 224-strong Assembly before May and an evenly poised battle is expected with the Congress and the JD(S) trying hard to upset the apple cart in the State.
The BJP is hoping that factional fighting for the CM face in the Congress may help it out in the polls. The BJP which replaced Lingayat strongman BS Yediyurappa with SR Bommai as the Chief Minister will go to poll backing Bommai. Besides Lingayats and Vokkaligas, Kurbas also form the influential castes in Karnataka and are wooed by the politicians across the State.
The Congress, which is making a strong comeback effort in the State, had last week inducted HD Thammaiah, a BJP Lingayat leader in Karnataka and a close confidant of the party’s national general secretary CT Ravi, to the party fold.
Thammaiiah resigned from the BJP to join the Congress, sparking speculation that less than three months before the Karnataka Assembly elections, the ruling party is facing discontent from leaders waiting for tickets.
Nadda landed in the State for a three-day visit to streamline and oversee the campaign strategy for the elections.
Addressing public rallies in Beluru and Chikkamagaluru, the BJP president urged the people to support the saffron party to have “double engine government” in Karnataka once again, for the development of the State.
Targeting former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the earlier Congress Government led by him, Nadda accused them of withdrawing cases against PFI, an extremist Muslim organisation, and Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) activists, by following their practice of appeasement politics.
“When Congress comes, there is scatter in the society, when Congress comes there is divide and rule, it is the basic trait of Congress’ politics. When Congress comes there is vote bank politics, as part of which they indulge in appealing to a particular religion or a community, Nadda said.
Addressing a public meeting in Beluru, he alleged that whenever the Congress comes to power corruption comes along with it.
“If there is someone who fights corruption it is BJP and Basavaraj Bommai (Chief Minister), who left no stone unturned in restoring Lokayukta in the state, and if there is someone who encourages corruption it will be Siddaramaiah (Congress leader and former CM), who rooted out Lokayukta institution from the state,” he added.
Further alleging that Congress’ other name is “corruption, commission”, the BJP President charged Siddaramaiah with “appeasement”, and disturbing law and order situation.
“PFI is a banned organisation, they had created fear in the society, and Siddarmaaiah, during his tenure as the CM withdrew 175 cases against PFI and KFD, and their 1,600 activists were released from jail. They wanted to create fear in the society, divide the society, disturb law and order...Will you (public) support such people? Do you want such a government?” he asked.
“If you don’t want such a Government, in the days to come (election), support Basavaraj Bommai, BJP, and make your contribution for strengthening the double engine Government in Karnataka, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Bommai, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, national general secretaries C T Ravi and Arun Singh, and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje were among others present at the event.
Karnataka Chief Minister is also seeking to play the “Hindutva card” by announcing the construction of a “majestic” Ram temple in the State, on February 17. The CM, while presenting the State budget, announced the temple construction at Ramadevara Betta in Ramanagara district saying he just responded to the wishes of the people. Bommai has promised that his Government will carry out comprehensive development and renovation of various temples and make plans for temple construction at a cost of Rs 1,000 crores in the next two years.