BANAVARA (HASSAN DISTRICT ) : Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday hit out at the BJP-JDS combine for opposing the State Government’s five guarantees and said that the people of the state will teach them a lesson in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing a gathering in Banavara, the CM said that JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda has forgotten about secularism and has joined hands with communal forces.
He said the result of the recent teachers’ constituency election has proved that the BJP-JDS alliance cannot defeat Congress candidates in the LS polls.
He said the NDA has copied his government’s guarantees and renamed it as the “Modi guarantee” at the Centre. “The BJP did not introduce any guarantees when in power in Karnataka. People had rejected BJP in last year’s Assembly polls as they indulged in 40% commission,” he said.
He also took potshots at Gowda, who hails from Hassan district. “Unfortunately, the so-called son of the soil has completely failed to protect the interests of the farmers and poor in the state. HD Kumaraswamy strongly opposes the Yettinahole drinking water project to provide water to parched areas like Arsikere. The BJP leaders have completely failed to get grants from the Centre promised for various projects earlier. The Centre has cheated the 6.65 crore Kannadigas by not releasing the state’s share of GST,” the CM added. The CM reiterated that development has not been hampered due to the guarantee schemes.
Speaking to reporters earlier, Siddaramaiah said that the BJP leaders were trying to tarnish the Congress’ image by lying about the guarantees.
When asked about a court summoning him, his deputy DK Shivakumar and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over the 40% commission allegations, the CM said that the party will appoint lawyers who will handle the issue. The CM also lambasted Uttara Kannada MP Anantkumar Hegde for saying that the state’s exchequer was empty due to the guarantee schemes. “Hegde is unfit to be an elected representative,” Siddaramaiah added.