BENGALURU: BJP National General Secretary Radha Mohan Das Agarwal on Thursday accused AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge of pitting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and DyCM DK Shivakumar against each other and hoping to become the chief minister of Karnataka.
Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru, the BJP leader said that not just two leaders (Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar), but three of them, including Kharge, are fighting for the CM’s chair, and for the past six to seven months, the state government has been non-functional.
The BJP leader said many Congress MLAs are in touch with them, but the people of the state have decided the 2028 assembly election results. Even if the elections are held tomorrow, people will vote Congress out and elect the BJP, he said.
Hitting out at the state government, he termed it a corrupt government based on the politics of appeasement. “It has deceived the people of Karnataka, the guarantees have not been fulfilled, and the government is facing a financial crisis,” he said.
Responding to a question on the party not taking a decision on the Karnataka state unit president’s appointment, he said they have a state president, and he is working. He said the decision on whether to continue Vijayendra as the state president or not will not be decided in a meeting in Bengaluru. The national leadership is aware of all the developments in the state, and the decision on the state unit president will be announced soon.
Council elections
The BJP leader said they have prepared a list of possible candidates for the MLC polls and will hold further discussions.
On renominating former PM and JDS leader HD Deve Gowda to Rajya Sabha, the BJP leader said it is an alliance issue, and the local unit will not talk about it and the national unit will decide. The BJP national leadership is aware of day-to-day developments in the state, he said.
Meanwhile, BJP president Nitin Nabin is scheduled to hold a series of meetings with his party leaders in Bengaluru on Sunday. During his first visit to Karnataka as the party’s national president, Nabin will attend the party’s state core committee meeting and state office-bearers meeting, and review the party’s preparations for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by the Election Commission.
