BENGALURU: Senior BJP leader and former chief minister, BS Yediyurappa, said on Thursday that every vote for the Congress and I.N.D.I.A bloc in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will be a vote for corruption, and economic bankruptcy, and affect the country’s internal security.
Speaking to media persons here on Thursday, the Lingayat strongman said that the Congress leaders have lost confidence in their leader, Rahul Gandhi. “They (Congress leaders) are not even mentioning his (Rahul Gandhi) name while campaigning. They have lost confidence in him. Rahul’s leadership has failed,” Yediyurappa added.
Taking the Siddaramaiah-led State Government to task, Yediyurappa said that with no achievements to boast of, the Congress leaders in Karnataka were blaming the Union Government. He said the BJP is facing the upcoming Lok Sabha elections based on Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s achievements in the last 10 years.
Slamming the Congress for accusing the Centre of not creating 2 crore jobs, Yediyurappa said an increase in the number of Bhavishya Nidhi (PF) accounts during Modi’s tenure indicates that a large number of jobs have been created. In 2014, MSME had given jobs to five crore people, and in 2022, it was 6.3 crore, he said. “In Bengaluru, they spread a rumour that HAL would be shut down. But the same PSU has a work order of Rs 84,000 crore, and additional work order worth Rs 50,000 crore are in the pipeline,” the former CM added.
On national security, Yediyurappa said a vote for Congress would damage the internal security of the nation, whereas a vote for Modi would enhance it. “People will reject those who try to divide the nation and religion. We are going to win. I have assured BJP Central leaders that the NDA will win all 28 seats in Karnataka,” he said.
Yediyurappa further said that the differences within the BJP during the candidate selection have been sorted out.