Former Minister and BJP MLC A.H. Vishwanath on Tuesday questioned former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s contribution to the welfare of the Kuruba community in Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Mr. Vishwanath lashed out at the Congress leader for “making no meaningful contribution” for the welfare of the community to which he belonged. Both Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Vishwanath belong to Kuruba community. “What have you given the community, which stood by you?” the BJP leader asked. “Your contribution is nothing. You failed to even develop the Karnataka Sheep and Wool Development Corporation started by former Chief Minister Devaraj Urs,” he said.
He claimed that Mr. Siddaramaiah had failed to uplift the community educationally. “He did not allot even a single medical, engineering or pharmacy college [for them]. He ignored the community,” he said.
Accusing Mr. Siddaramaiah of failing to groom a second-line leadership in the community, Mr. Vishwanath said the former Chief Minister gave no representation to the community in his Cabinet for four years.
He accused the Congress leader of destroying the political career of former Badami MLA B.B. Chimmankatti. “You snatched his seat. He is on the streets now. You did not even make him an MLC,” he said, accusing Mr. Siddaramaiah of ending the careers of several AHINDA leaders.
Seeking support
Mr. Vishwanath also sought to remind the Kuruba community in the State that the BJP Government would remain in power for another year and a half and called upon them to extend their support to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in the interest of the community and the State.
He said Mr. Bommai has promised to work for the welfare of the community and Kurubas should repose their trust in the Chief Minister’s word.
He criticised Mr. Siddaramaiah for his remarks against the Chief Minister after the community leaders felicitated him with a kambali (handwoven woolen blanket) recently.
He came down heavily on the Congress leader for “lacking gratitude”. Claiming that he, along with other leaders in the Congress such as H.M. Revanna, Mallikarjun Kharge, Jaffer Sharief and M. Veerappa Moily, had facilitated his entry into the Congress after Janata Dal (S) leader H.D. Deve Gowda removed him from the party in 2005, Mr. Vishwanath said Mr. Siddaramaiah had showed no gratitude to them for their efforts.
Taking serious exception to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s “language” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Mr. Vishwanath said the Congress leader cannot justify his arrogance by claiming it was his “rustic” language. “Will he use the same language to address Congress leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi?” Mr. Vishwanath asked.
On bypolls
Mr. Vishwanath also claimed that the entire exercise of holding byelections to the Assembly was a “waste of energy, time and money”. The person with the second-highest number of votes should be declared the winner, he said, adding that he told the Centre there was no need to hold bypolls at all.
