BJP won't allow Congress to use Karnataka as its ATM: Arun Singh
Belagavi, Apr 12: BJP national general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh on Tuesday said the Congress party, which is losing ground across the country, is hoping to win the 2023 Assembly polls in the state, and use that as its ATM for funding in other states, but it won't be successful.
Expressing confidence of BJP coming back to power in the state, he said the party has a strong leadership and guide in the form of former CM B S Yediyurappa in Karnataka, while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was running the government successfully.
"Congress lost in Goa and Manipur. They lost deposits at many places in Uttar Pradesh. It is because Congress' leadership is a failed leadership. People don't have faith in its leadership, which is totally divided. Congress workers can't get inspiration from their leader Rahul Gandhi," Singh said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said in Karnataka too Congress is a divided house, and doesn't have any issues to raise against the BJP government in the state.
"Congress leaders don't work on the ground. They make non-issue an issue, so they are getting defeated everywhere. Congress governments are only in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, and there too they are on their way out. They think that they can somehow win in Karnataka and use it as their ATM for funding in other states, which will not be successful," he added.
Singh was in Belagavi to take part in party leaders' tour across the state, aimed at preparing the ground for assembly elections in Karnataka next year.
The BJP has formed three teams, led by senior leaders, to travel across Karnataka from Tuesday, aimed at preparing the ground for the state Assembly elections next year.
During his visit to the state earlier this month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had set a target of 150 seats (in 224-member Assembly) to Karnataka BJP leaders for the 2023 Assembly elections.
Responding to a question on flare-up of communal issues in the state under Bommai's leadership, which was not seen during Yediyurappa's tenure as CM, Singh said, "We are all working here under the guidance of Yediyurappa, he is the tallest leader of our party in Karnataka. Bommai is the Chief Minister, he is running the government and there is Yediyurappa's guidance, on the basis of which we are functioning."
Accusing the Congress of creating division between castes and religions as elections approached, he said it is the framework of the Congress party's functioning.
"The hijab issue is supported by the Congress, who else is behind it? Congress supported SDPI and PFI from behind. When Siddaramaiah (Congress leader and former CM) was in the government, he supported PFI. Now, when in opposition also, he is supporting them...they do it everywhere and that is why they are facing repeated defeats," he alleged.
Singh also claimed the BJP has a galaxy of leaders in the state like- Yediyurappa and CM Bommai, while Congress was a leaderless party.
"There is no popular leader (in Congress) at the centre, whom people can trust. Also in Karnataka, they don't have such a leader whom people can trust," he added.
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Hijab decision taken out of fear of Karnataka Muslim convention, alleges Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru: Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy has alleged that the Karnataka government announced its decision on the hijab issue out of fear of the ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’ scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on May 16 organized by Federation of Karnataka Muslim Organisations.
Addressing a press conference at the JD(S) state office, GP Bhavan, in Bengaluru on Thursday, Kumaraswamy said he respects all religions and has expressed his views on the issue on several public platforms in the past.
Questioning the timing of the government’s move, he said the Congress has been in power for three years and had taken no decision on the hijab issue during that period.
He alleged that the decision was taken only because the ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’ is scheduled to be held at Town Hall in Bengaluru on May 16.
“If the government had the courage, it should have taken this decision immediately after coming to power. Why did it remain silent for three years?” he asked.
Kumaraswamy accused the Congress of making the announcement to appease a particular community.
He further said the matter is still pending before the courts and claimed that an interim order relating to the hijab issue remains in force.
According to him, issuing such an order before the legal proceedings are concluded amounts to disrespect towards the judiciary.
Kumaraswamy also alleged that the Congress brought the issue back into focus after the Davanagere by-election results.
