Leader of opposition in the Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah on Monday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is inaugurating works done during Congress' tenure in the state, and posed 21 questions on Karnataka's development during BJP's rule.
"HAL Helicopter Manufacturing Unit in Gubbi taluk in Tumakuru district was proposed during the tenure of the UPA government. Now, PM Modi is inaugurating it," Siddaramaih said.
"PM Modi distributed property documents to the Lambani community. The necessary law in that regard was framed by our government," he claimed.
"During my tenure as Chief Minister, I formed a committee and brought in amendments to the Land Reforms Act. We have cooked and Prime Minister Modi is serving it to people," Siddaramaiah said.
He asked the Prime Minister to mention the Congress government during inauguration of various works in the state.
BJP mired in corruption: Siddaramaiah
"Prime Minister Modi is the only capital state BJP has. The BJP has lost the trust of the people and is mired in corruption. It is a wrong belief that if Prime Minister Modi visits Karnataka, they will get benefitted. The people have decided to defeat the BJP and vote Congress to power," he added.
"The BJP has never got a majority. In 2008 it won 110, 104 in 2018, 40 in 2013. In 2023, they might get 50 to 60 seats in 224 seats in assembly elections," Siddaramaiah said.
"Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa do not like each other now. BJP and RSS dethroned Yediyurappa and sent him home.
The cabinet expansion is not done and the reason is the party will have to give cabinet post to Yediyurappa's son B.Y. Vijayendra," Siddaramaiah stated.
He also said that many leaders from the BJP are joining Congress.
Siddramaiah posed 21 questions to the Prime Minister on various issues, including corruption.
The Congress' Karnataka unit is hoping to achieve the victory in upcoming assembly elections riding high on the anti-incumbency factor against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, coupled with corruption charges.
The party has organised massive padayatra programmes across the state. Karnataka unit Congress president D.K. Shivakumar and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah are leading the party with poignant attacks on ruling BJP on one hand, while pitching in at the ground level to boost morale of Congress workers and strategise for elections, on the other hand.
The Congress has carried out 'Mekedatu Padayatra' demanding speedy implementation of the Mekedatu project to ensure drinking water for Bengaluru. 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi has also evoked good response in the state.
Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party's other top national leaders took part in the rally. Sonia Gandhi walked alongside her son Rahul Gandhi in Mandya, considered as a bastion of the JD-S.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had participated in 'Na Nayaki' women's convention in Bengaluru recently and slammed the ruling BJP, saying "the situation in Karnataka is shameful".
She referred to the PSI recruitment scandal and the attempt to change the school syllabus.
Congress has also anointed Mallikarjun Kharge to the position of the party's national president. Kharge who hails from Kalaburagi in Karnataka has a special place in the hearts of Dalits and oppressed classes.
The party is hoping that it would benefit them in the assembly elections. The Congress leaders are currently busy with "Prajadhvani Yatra" in the state.
Siddaramaiah, the Opposition leader stated that if the Congress returns to power, it would increase the quota of reservation for women. He had charged the debt when his tenure ended was Rs 2,42,000 crore.
"After the BJP government came to power, the debt has doubled and every citizen has Rs 86,000 debt on his head. The Congress will achieve power in the state and there shall be no doubt about it," the senior Congress leader said.
Corruption charges
"The Congress has taken up 'Pay CM' poster campaign successfully. Besides, PSI scam, teachers' recruitment scandal, links of BJP leaders with criminal Santro Ravi, 40 per cent commission charges against BJP, the cheap statements by BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal calling BJP minister as a pimp, all these developments are going to help the party," Party's state Legal Cell General Secretary Surya Mukundraj said.
Party's state Legal Cell General Secretary Surya Mukundraj said that the Congress had appointed booth level agents one year ago. As part of the "Freedom March" in August last year, pada yatra was taken up in every constituency.
"Membership drive and digital membership drive have been taken up. The war room has been created and heads of various departments are involved in making strategies.
(With inputs from IANS)
