DAVANAGERE/BAGALKOT: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday expressed confidence in winning both the Davanagere South and Bagalkot Assembly bypolls.
Addressing a rally in Davanagere, the CM stated that the Congress was seeking votes based on its pro-people governance and development projects undertaken by his government since 2023. “The BJP, however, is trying to grab votes by badmouthing my government and me. Such is a disgrace to which the BJP has fallen,” he said. He said Shamanur Shivashankarappa, who was a six-time MLA and one-time MP, has won four times from Davanagere South and has contributed immensely to the development of the constituency, he said, appealing to voters to elect Samarth Shamanur.
“The BJP, which ruled the state for nine years, indulged in corruption. Therefore, they are badmouthing me and trying to gain sympathy as they have no development undertaken during their tenure to showcase to voters,” he said.
Siddaramaiah said the Congress does not indulge in creating rift between religions and castes. He said that it is the BJP’s pride to organise communal riots. “Basavanagouda Patil Yatnal, who was a BJP member, has directly accused BS Yediyurappa and BY Vijayendra of looting Rs 25,000 crore. Then what moral rights they have to criticise me?” he said.
Siddaramaiah said that his government has fulfilled the promises made in the Congress manifesto ahead of the 2023 polls, including the guarantees.
Hits out at Yediyurappa
In Bagalkot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah strongly refuted allegations made by former CM and BJP strongman BS Yediyurappa, who had described him as a symbol of “betrayal and corruption”. The CM asked whom he had allegedly betrayed and demanded documents from Yediyurappa, if any, to substantiate the corruption charges.
Siddaramaiah alleged that Yediyurappa himself was facing corruption accusations from within his own party. “It is not the Congress but leaders from his own party who have raised these allegations,” Siddaramaiah said. On criticisms that he was campaigning for Congress candidate Umesh Meti in Bagalkot due to caste considerations, Siddaramaiah rejected the claim. He clarified that he had also campaigned for Congress candidates in other constituencies, including Davanagere South, irrespective of their community background.
He further questioned whether Yediyurappa was not campaigning for BJP candidate Veeranna Charantimath, who belongs to the Lingayat community, thereby turning the allegation back on his rival.
On reports that some Congress workers had allegedly threatened college students to vote for the party, the CM maintained that the law would take its course. Addressing another allegation that the Congress government was misusing funds under its flagship guarantee schemes, Siddaramaiah clarified that the benefits were being directly transferred to the bank accounts of beneficiaries, and hence there was no scope for corruption.