The Congress also desires to rebuild Ram temple but the fear of losing Muslim votes is holding it back, former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa told reporters on Monday.
He alleged that Minister T B Jayachandra had asked him to raise the Ram temple issue in the Assembly. He said Jayachandra gave him a photograph he had taken to endorse BJP’s claim that Babri Masjid was built by destroying a Ram temple. He added that Jayachandra is sure to deny this.
Eshwarappa said though he considers himself too insignificant to comment on inclusion of the Ram temple in the BJP election manifesto, he wants the temple to be rebuilt as well.
He also exuded confidence that BJP would win more than 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state, thanks to the Modi wave and the return of former BSR Congress chief Sriramulu and former CM B S Yeddyurappa.
He defended Sriramulu’s return, saying the latter had apologised for all his wrongdoings.
He also asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to release a white paper on the schemes introduced for the empowerment of the oppressed.