Countering Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s claim about spending Rs. 56,000 crore for development of North Karnataka in the last four years, State General Secretary of BJP C.T. Ravi has sought a White Paper on the funds sanctioned to North Karnataka under different heads.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday ahead of the BJP’s Nava Karnataka Parivartana Rally to be held on Thursday, Mr. Ravi said Mr. Siddaramaiah should give details regarding how much money had been spent on irrigation, employment generation, infrastructure development and other sectors. “Otherwise it would be a case of ‘fake bills and fabricated accounts’ resulting in the State exchequer getting empty without the people getting the benefits.”
Mocking the Congress party for celebrating despite the loss in Gujarat elections, Mr. Ravi said that the reasons for Congress winning more seats in Gujarat were the caste equations influenced by the reservation issue. “But soon the people will learn the truth”, he said. Mr. Ravi pointed out that both the Congress and BJP had an increase in their vote share and if the Gujarat model had failed BJP would not have retained power for the sixth time.
To a query on the setback suffered by BJP in the rural areas, Mr. Ravi again referred to the caste equations and clarified that there was no agrarian crisis in Gujarat.
More Central leaders
He said the party had launched the election campaign on a positive note and more Central leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be addressing election rallies in the coming months.
To another query on the in-fighting in BJP when it was in power and the subsequent split in the party, Mr. Ravi clarified that they had learnt from past mistakes and would not repeat them.
Along with other BJP leaders, Mr. Ravi visited Nehru Stadium to oversee the preparations for the Parivartana rally and also took part in an motorcycle rally as part of Thursday’s rally.
