Accusing BJP candidate for Hangal bypoll Shivaraj Sajjanar and the former Minister late C.M. Udasi of large-scale corruption in cooperative sugar mill in Haveri district, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah sought to know from the electorate on whether they would vote for such people.
Addressing an election rally at Malgund in Hangal taluk on Saturday, Mr. Siddaramaiah alleged that both Mr. Sajjanar and Mr. Udasi were responsible for the downfall of the cooperative sugar mill. “The sugar mill has now been handed over to a private company. Such person has now become BJP candidate and is seeking votes from you. Will you vote for him or show him the door? People of the constituency should think over it,” he said.
Accusing Mr. Sajjanar of corruption, Mr. Siddaramaiah sought to know whether they would vote for “corrupt” candidate or a clean-handed person like Srinivas Mane, who has been working for the people even after his defeat in the last election.
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He said that as no political party was given a clear mandate in the last election, the Congress chose to join hands with the JD(S) for the sake of preventing a communal party from coming to power. Although B.S. Yediyurappa came to power by purchasing 17 legislators of the Congress and the JD(S), he did not last long as Chief Minister. Now following repeated appeals from Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Mr. Yediyurappa had agreed to canvass for the party, he said, asking the people whether they would vote for such leaders.
Listing out various welfare measures of the previous Congress government led by him, he said after the BJP came to power, the quantity of rice under Anna Bhagya scheme was reduced and supply of milk to anganwadis and schoolchildren was stopped. “We had introduced loan waiver, Indira Canteen, Bhagyajyoti, free houses, Shadi Bhagya, Krishi Bhagya and other schemes. Where are they now? All have been stopped,” he said.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that during his period as Chief Minister, 15 lakh houses were allotted to the poor. “Under the BJP rule not a single house has been built. Anugraha scheme, under which the loss of livestock was compensated, has been stopped now. Backward classes have been affected a lot under the BJP rule. After all this, now they are trying to burden the farmers’ lives by installing meters for borewells,” he said.
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The former Chief Minister accompanied by former Ministers Santosh Lad and Manohar Tahasildar, KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed, MLA Byrati Suresh, Mr. Mane and others subsequently visited several villages in the constituency, held roadshows, and addressed public meetings to appeal for votes.