BENGALURU/NEW DELHI: BJP and Congress leaders took swipe at one another on Friday in the course of the ballot battle in Karnataka as electioneering gathered tempo within the southern state with nearly a month left for polling. While the Congress taunted BJP over “delay” within the declaration of its candidate`s checklist, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai hit again saying that the opposition get together within the state didn’t have candidates on many seats and received them from different events. The two events additionally sparred over the Karnataka authorities`s determination to take away non secular minorities from the backward courses checklist, which gave them 4 per cent reservation, and placing them beneath the ten per cent quota for economically weaker sections.
Bommai mentioned that the BJP`s central management will determine the candidates and the state unit advocate a panel of names. “We will have a meeting on April 8-9 and apparently, tickets will be distributed on April 10. The process of ticket selection is going on as per the rules. We held meetings for three consecutive days and took the opinion of party workers, leaders and people. The final list will be discussed as we have cleared 3 names (for each constituency),” he mentioned. He additionally responded to Congress chief DK Shivakumar’s remarks that they’ll undo the choice of the BJP authorities in regards to the reservation of spiritual minorities within the backward courses checklist.
“They can’t touch it, let`s see what they can do,” Bommai mentioned.Congress chief Siddaramaiah, who’s seen as a chief ministerial aspirant if Congress wins the polls, mentioned the get together is hopeful of successful a minimum of 130 of 224 seats. He mentioned that is going to be his final election and he’ll retire from electoral politics. Siddaramaiah mentioned his relationship with Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar is cordial. “I am contesting from Varuna assembly constituency as my native village comes under this constituency. This is going to be my last election. I will retire from electoral politics. My relationship with DK Shivakumar (Karnataka Congress president) is cordial. There are no differences between us. Of course, differences exist in democracy but it is not detrimental to the interests of the party,” he informed ANI.
The former chief minister mentioned that Congress is anticipating greater than 130 seats this time and the get together will come to energy with a cushty majority by itself. He mentioned that individuals have determined to alter the federal government. Siddaramaiah attacked the Chief Minister and the ruling BJP. “BJP is a sectarian party. Ours is a secular party. There can`t be any disparity among the people of Karnataka. I treat all human beings equally whether they belong to Hindu, Muslim, Christian, or any other community or religion, I treat them all equally,” he informed ANI.
Siddaramaiah alleged that Basavaraj Bommai failed ‘miserably’ to guard the curiosity of Kannadigas and does not should proceed as CM. “Modi and Shah are coming to Karnataka to get votes and claim it’s a double-engine govt but Maharashtra government is blatantly interfering with the freedom of the state,” he mentioned. He additionally hit out at BJP over its transfer on reservations. “Recategorising (of reservation) is not proper, not constitutional. It is not valid… We`ve no objection to increasing the reservation of Vokkaliga and Lingayat but why you abolished the reservation of Muslims… It clearly shows vendetta, hate politics,” the Congress chief mentioned.Â
A former Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah mentioned he’s contesting from Varuna meeting constituency because it has been cleared by the get together`s central management. “It`s not that I am interested to contest but Kolar people want me to contest from there,” he mentioned.Â
Congress and Janata Dal-Secular have introduced 166 and 93 candidates respectively thus far for the Karnataka polls. DK Shivakumar took a dig at BJP and mentioned whereas Congress has launched two lists of candidates for meeting polls within the state, the BJP has not been in a position “to release even its first list”. He additionally mentioned that if Congress kinds a authorities in Karnataka it should change the BJP authorities`s determination to take away non secular minorities from the backward courses checklist, beneath which they received 4 per cent reservation.
“Till now, Congress party has released two lists of candidates and discussions are going on for a third list and as soon as possible Congress will release the third list too. But the BJP could not be able to release even its first list yet,” Shivakumar informed the media right here. Shivakumar additionally took potshots at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. “I don`t want to discuss much on that. Asaduddin Owaisi, he is like A team, B Team and C Team of BJP. People of Karnataka are very intelligent and Congress will make government,” Shivakumar mentioned.
Congress on Thursday introduced its second checklist of 42 candidates for the Karnataka polls. No determination has but been taken on who would contest from Kolar. “BJP government removed four per cent reservation for minorities which is against the law and the minority (community) is going to support the Congress party. After the Congress government is formed, we will protect the right of minorities and reservation policy will be changed,” Shivakumar added.Â
The BJP authorities in Karnataka has determined to take away non secular minorities from the backward courses checklist and redistributed the 4 per cent quota. The minorities, it mentioned, will get reservation beneath the ten per cent quota for economically weaker sections. The Karnataka BJP additionally hit again at Shivakumar. “DK Shivakumar clarified that we will cancel the reservation given to Okkaliga, Veerashaiva-Lingayat, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. For appeasement politics, the right of these communities to be uprooted INC Karnataka will be punished accordingly,” the get together mentioned in a tweet.
Congress MP Randeep Surjewala, who’s AICC incharge of Karnataka, alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is “panic-striken” because it has not introduced its first checklist of candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections. “Because Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is unwilling to fight election from his seat and his ministers don’t want to contest from their seats either. All are running away from their seats. Nobody wants to contest the election therefore, they`re dependent on film stars & rowdy sheeters…,” he alleged.
Karnataka Health Minister Ok Sudhakar mentioned that the BJP has all the time ensured social justice whereas distributing tickets for elections. “Let`s wait for one more day. BJP has always given a lot of opportunities to the youth and women and has maintained social justice. Above all, we have always given priority to workers of the party. So the party is different from all other parties today,” he mentioned. He mentioned Congress doesn’t have readability on its chief ministerial candidate within the upcoming election. “I am seeing more Surjewala than Siddaramaiah and DK Shivkumar. Let them decide on one face how can they say both? They (Congress) are not clear, they have no clarity on who will become the CM face. We have clarity, we have our PM under whose guidance govt will run and we have an able, efficient CM Basavaraj Bommai who is also the chairman of the campaign committee,” Sudhakar mentioned.
Meanwhile, Janata Dal-Secular has written to the Election Commission to cease the present starring Kannada actor Kiccha Sudeep and commercials that includes him until the top of the elections, in view of the truth that his movies, commercials, posters and so on can affect votes as he’s at the moment acknowledged as BJP`s star campaigner. “Mr Sudeep, does a press conference along with Karnataka CM and invitation to all media sent on letterhead of BJP. He really says that he is going to do whatever CM says, he adheres to a political party, so he is a politician. According to rule of law of the land, any person who has political affiliation, cannot be seen on a public platform. That`s the reason, we have requested EC to look into the matter of Sudeep`s movies, OTT platforms, advertisements….” JD-S chief Tanveer Ahmed mentioned.
Sudhakar reacted to the JD-S transfer. “It doesn`t matter whether they show it on TV or not. Kichcha Sudeep is a hugely popular actor, when he goes in favour of our people, for campaigning we will definitely have great support from the cadre and also he will fetch us votes and seats”. The Karnataka meeting elections will likely be held in a single section on May 10 with the counting of votes scheduled on May 13.
