“BJP wants to see only RSS leaders in important positions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a RSS volunteer. Basavaraj Bommai is not from the RSS. That is probably why BJP leaders, including K.S. Eshwarappa, are trying to unseat Mr. Bommai,” Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah said on Sunday.
Addressing a rally while campaigning for Channaraj Hattiholi, Congress candidate for Legislative Council elections, Mr. Siddaramaiah urged the voters to reject the BJP as it was an anti-people party.
“RSS-BJP leaders are descendants of Nathuram Ghodse, who killed Mahatma Gandhi. They don’t want peace. They want disturbance in society. We should reject such people. I want you to give them a fitting reply in the elections and send them home,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
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He asked people not to vote for Lakhan Jarkiholi, the younger brother of Ramesh Jarkiholi, MLA and BJP leader. Ramesh Jarkiholi had defeated Veerkumar Patil, the official Congress candidate and worked for the victory of Vivekrao Patil, Independent candidate. “I will not be surprised if Ramesh Jarkiholi works for the victory of his brother leading to the defeat of the BJP official candidate,” he said.
“Ramesh Jarkiholi has been going around saying I cheated Vivekrao Patil by denying him ticket. Vivekrao Patil won as an Independent but never joined the Congress. How can we give ticket to a leader who is not a Congress member? If Ramesh Jarkiholi is so concerned about the welfare of Patil, he should have got him BJP ticket. He should have discouraged Lakhan from contesting, at least. After all, Patil is a loyal follower of Ramesh Jarkiholi,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
The Congress has given ticket to leaders from backward classes and minorities. “We have given ticket to three candidates from the Kuruba community. But the BJP has not given ticket to a single member of the backward classes,” he said.
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“Ramesh Jarkiholi should realise that we should follow some particular political ideology and not play politics for selfish ends,” he said.
He said that the BJP government had failed on all fronts. “The BJP Governments at the Centre and in the State that have been in power have not implemented a single project in public interest,’’ he said.
“The BJP replaced B.S. Yeddyurappa to make Basavaraj Bommai the Chief Minister. But the BJP Government in the State has not done anything for the people,” he said.