With all top leaders of Karnataka camping in bypoll-bound constituencies, attacks and counter-attacks continued unabated. Saturday saw former Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah and B.S. Yediyurappa arguing over why the latter had to step down from his post.
At a rally in Hangal constituency, Mr. Yediyurappa claimed that he stepped down “voluntarily” because he wanted to make way for others. “I am not one to stick to power. Some people may hesitate to give up the post of a gram panchayat president. But I threw my resignation to the post of Chief Minister without any qualms,” he said, adding that he continued to earn the love of people though he was no longer a Chief Minister. He added that Congress leaders were talking without a thought because they were frustrated over their dwindling popularity and political strength.
Siddaramaiah
Countering this in the same constituency at another rally, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that the BJP leader stepped down as Chief Minister under pressure and “out of fear” that Central agencies would be unleashed on him by the Centre if he did not resign as demanded. BJP central leaders had made the man who had “struggled and spent money through Operation Kamala” to bring the party to power shed tears while stepping down, he added.
Open challenge
At yet another rally, Mr. Siddaramaiah alleged that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had come to power not through blessings of people but by “pleasing the RSS” and challenged him to show what he had done for development in a public debate.
Mr. Bommai hit back saying that the former Chief Minister was free to visit any village in Hangal to “witness development”.
