MYSURU: Senior BJP leader CT Ravi has stoked controversy by saying that the election manifesto of the Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections is inspired by the Taliban and supported by the Naxals.
Speaking to the media at the BJP office in Mysuru on Monday, the former MLA said that the Congress was established by AO Hume, and in the first two decades, it remained an organisation to submit applications to the British. “But later, several leaders joined the Congress and worked for the independence movement.
But after Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru turned the Congress into a family party. He laid a strong foundation for his family in the party, which is still being continued by Rahul Gandhi. It has supported Urban Naxalites. Its manifesto is inspired by the Taliban and supported by Naxalites,” Ravi said.
He said the manifesto promotes division in society. “If people vote for the Congress’ guarantees, there will be more cooker blasts in the state,” Ravi said.
Slamming the Congress for turning into a communal party and thereby dividing the people in the name of caste and religion, Ravi said that the political parties fight the Lok Sabha elections on their principles, the welfare programmes initiated for the people, and on the leadership.
“The Congress should reveal the programmes given to the state while they were in power at the Centre. PM Modi has given a lion’s share of funds to the state. There should be discussion over national issues, financial development, and the future of the country. There should be discussions on the funds provided to the state during the Manmohan Singh and Modi governments,” he alleged.
On whether Vokkaligas will vote for Congress candidate M Lakshmana as the BJP denied tickets to him (Ravi), DV Sadananda Gowda, and Pratap Simha, Ravi said that the party never sidelined Vokkaliga leaders and they will be given prominent posts in the future.