Cong has brute majority; winning bypolls will let them to 'do more corruption': Yediyurappa
Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday appealed to the voters of two Assembly seats going to bypolls, to defeat the Congress, claiming that the ruling party has a "brute majority" in the state, and a by-election win will let them indulge in more corruption, intoxicated with power.
Bypolls for the Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly constituencies will be held on April 9. The polls were necessitated following the deaths of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa, respectively.
"Today and tomorrow, I will campaign for our candidate Srinivas in Davanagere. On April 5 and 6, I will campaign for our candidate Charantimath in Bagalkot. I'm one hundred per cent confident that our candidates will win in both constituencies with a huge margin," Yediyurappa said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, there is rampant corruption in Karnataka and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has forgotten the welfare of the people and is running an administration in the state that resembles "Tughlaq Darbar".
"The Congress government has a brute majority. If they win the bypolls, it will give them an opportunity to indulge in more corruption, intoxicated with power. So I appeal to the voters of both constituencies with folded hands to teach the Congress a lesson by ensuring BJP candidates win in both constituencies," he added.
The BJP has fielded former MLA Veerabhadrayya Charantimath -- who was defeated in the 2023 election -- as its candidate in Bagalkot and pitted a fresh face, Srinivas T Dasakariyappa, in Davanagere South.
Responding to a question on expelled BJP legislator Basangouda Patil Yatnal willing to campaign on behalf of party candidate Charantimath in Bagalkot, the former CM said, "Let anyone come, there is an opportunity. I welcome it."
Pointing out that CM Siddaramaiah and his cabinet colleagues are "camping" in both constituencies to campaign for Congress candidates, he said this shows that the fear of defeat is worrying them. "I request the people to teach them a lesson."
When asked about the state government's decision to replace the marks system for third languages like Hindi in the SSLC (class 10) exam with a grading system that will not impact a student's overall results, starting this academic year, Yediyurappa said that learning Hindi will not affect Kannada, and requested that no confusion be created regarding this matter.
"I don't want to speak much on this issue. It is probably difficult to converse in any language other than Hindi across the country. So I don't accept discouragement towards learning Hindi," he said.
"But some have their own view. It (learning Hindi) is not a betrayal of Kannada. I humbly want to state that learning Hindi will not affect Kannada and request not to create confusion in this regard," he added.
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India's neighbours wanted to break up Assam but Modi govt shattered their dreams: Fadnavis
Dibrugarh/Jorhat (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday claimed India's neighbours wanted to "break up" Assam by taking advantage of the unrest here earlier, but their "dreams were shattered" as the Narendra Modi government brought peace to the region.
Militancy has come to an end, and 92 per cent of the assurances made in the peace agreements with various groups have already been implemented, he told a poll rally.
Fadnavis maintained that the BJP-led government in Assam has not only ensured the state's development but also protected its identity.
He accused the Congress of having neglected the state and the northeastern region by adopting a "step-motherly attitude" towards them, while Modi has put the region at the centre of development.
Addressing a rally in support of BJP's Dibrugarh candidate Prasanta Phukan, Fadnavis said, "Due to the unrest in the state earlier, neighbouring countries thought they would break Assam someday. But their dreams were shattered by Modi ji, and Assam is progressing fast today."
Crediting the BJP government for bringing the militant groups to the mainstream, the Maharashtra chief minister said not only were peace accords signed with them, but 92 per cent of the assurances made have been implemented.
"Work is on for implementing the remaining eight per cent of promises also," he added.
Highlighting the various welfare measures of the state government, Fadnavis said special emphasis was being given on women's empowerment in line with the Centre's thrust on it.
"Women have benefited the most under Modiji's government. It will be 'Mahila raaj' from 2029 when 33 per cent reservation is implemented in Parliament and state Assemblies," he added.
Speaking at another rally in support of the BJP's Jorhat candidate Hitendra Nath Goswami earlier, the Maharashtra chief minister alleged that infiltration was at its peak in Assam under Congress governments.
"People had to launch a movement against it, and scores were martyred. But the influx did not stop, and the state was burning. It was staring at a full demographic change."
"But the situation changed when Modi came to power. Infiltration has been stopped, and almost all militant groups in the state are returning to the mainstream," he claimed.
Fadnavis claimed that the state's demography would have changed and Assam's history would have been rewritten under the Congress rule.
"But the Modi government works not just for development, but also protects the state's identity, culture, history, and tradition," he said.
He told the gathering that the BJP-led government has ensured massive infrastructure development for the state.
Mentioning the Tata Group's semiconductor unit at Jagiroad, Fadnavis said, "It is a gift of Modi ji to Assam. It will place the state on the global map."
He added that countries with the ability to manufacture semiconductors will be global leaders in the future, and India has joined the elite ranks of a handful of nations.
Taking a dig at the Congress, Fadnavis alleged it had always adopted a "step-motherly attitude" towards the northeast, due to which the region did not see much development, and was embroiled in unrest.
He also criticised the opposition party for its "anti-national stance" during the West Asia crisis, claiming it was trying to create discontentment among the people by raising false doubts over the availability of LPG and fuel.
"We had also been in the opposition, but we had never acted in such a shameful manner," he said.
Taking a dig at state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, who is also the opposition party's candidate in Jorhat, Fadnavis said, "Those in Lok Sabha should remain there. BJP will return to power, and he will have no work here."
Gogoi is also the opposition party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha.
