BELAGAVI: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday launched a sharp attack on BJP MLA Janardhan Reddy, questioning his credibility and dismissing his allegations against the state government as baseless.
Addressing reporters at Nandgad in Belagavi, Siddaramaiah said Reddy, who was previously imprisoned in connection with alleged illegal mining cases, lacked the moral standing to accuse others of corruption.
He recalled that Reddy had once even been barred from entering Ballari and pointed out that legal cases against him are still pending before the Supreme Court.
Responding to Reddy’s charge that the Chief Minister and 12 ministers were looting the state, Siddaramaiah said the opposition thrives on falsehoods and attempts to mislead the public. “The Assembly session is about to begin. Let him raise these issues there, we are ready to respond,” he said.
On the Karnataka–Maharashtra border dispute, the Chief Minister said hearings in the Supreme Court are scheduled to begin on January 21. He asserted that Maharashtra has no legal basis to pursue the case and said Karnataka would be represented by competent legal counsel.
According to him, the key issue is determining which authority has jurisdiction to resolve the dispute, and the state will continue on the judicial path.
Regarding concerns over voter list revisions, Siddaramaiah said the Congress has instructed party workers and Booth Level Agents to be cautious during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. He emphasised that the exercise should not be politicised and that no genuine voter should be excluded.
The Chief Minister reiterated the party’s demand that elections to the Greater Bengaluru civic body be conducted using ballot papers, stressing that the focus is on protecting voters’ rights rather than political gain.
He also said the government would clarify issues raised by the Governor on certain bills during the upcoming Assembly session.
On his possible visit to Delhi, Siddaramaiah said he would travel whenever the party high command calls him, dismissing speculation about fixed schedules.
When asked whether the government would take action against DGP Ramachandrarao, whose alleged intimate videos went viral on social media, Siddaramaiah said, “The government will take this case seriously and will take necessary action after inquiry. There is no one taller than the law, though he is a top-level officer.”