Congress govt in Karnataka will fall due to own contradictions: Ex-Karnataka CM Bommai
Senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday predicted that the Congress government in Karnataka will fall due to its own contradictions, after the Lok Sabha poll results are out. Claiming that there were internal differences in the ruling party and "competition" between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, the former CM also stated that there may be a vertical split in the Congress at the national level after the poll results and that too may have its impact on the government in the state.
"Statements were made by the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister during the Lok Sabha election. The CM on one side said -- if you don't vote for us (Congress) in large numbers it will be difficult for me to continue. While on the other hand, Deputy CM said -- you (people) voted for Congress thinking I will become Chief Minister but you were let down and in the days to come I will become (CM)," Bommai told reporters here.
He further said, "no ministers contested the polls, instead they fielded their children. These are big indications that things are not fine in this government, there are internal differences over several issues. There are lobbies, and there was a short break for them due to elections, but they will restart activities once again."
"The Congress government will fall due to its own contradictions. More than anything else, it is certain that Narendra Modi will become Prime Minister for the third time, and within a few months after that there will be a lot of changes in All India Congress, it won't be surprising if there is a vertical split, and that too will have its implications in Karnataka." The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka, completed one year in office on Monday. Responding to a question, Bommai said the BJP has no agenda, and the party will only "wait and watch" the developments.
"Difference of opinion is natural in any government, there are no governments without differences, but here it is not mere difference of opinion, here there is competition. One person is on his toes to become the Chief Minister, while the other doesn't want to give up the CM post to anyone. This competition between personalities has resulted in bigger political implications in the past, in Karnataka's history," he said.
The BJP and JD(S) leaders in the state have predicted the collapse of the Congress government after the Lok Sabha polls, despite Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar ruling out any differences. Leaders of the two opposition parties have been hinting at a possible power tussle within the Congress, amid persistent rumours about leadership change in the ruling party in the state after Lok Sabha polls or mid-way of the current assembly's tenure. There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the CM's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.
There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational Chief Minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party. Shivakumar has made no secret of his ambition to become Chief Minister, while Siddaramaiah had sought public support during Lok Sabha polls so that the Congress wins maximum number of seats in the State which would cement his position.
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Bengal polls: Mamata Banerjee backs Jyotipriya Mallick as TMC's candidate from Habra
Habra (WB) (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday extended her full support to long-time political associate Jyotipriya Mallick, claiming he was targeted in a money laundering case due to a CPI(M) conspiracy.
Mallick, who held the Food and Supplies portfolio in the Mamata Banerjee government from 2011 to 2021, was arrested by the ED in October 2023 in a money laundering case linked to an alleged multi-crore ration distribution scam.
He was granted bail in January 2025. At the time of his arrest, he was the state’s forest minister.
Extending her full support to Mallick, who is contesting from Habra constituency for a fourth consecutive term, Banerjee claimed that the CPI(M) and the BJP were spreading canards against him.
"Nobody has worked as well as Balu (Mallick) did in my government," Banerjee said, adding that he was arrested out of "jealousy".
The chief minister alleged that CPI(M) entered 1.5 crore false names in the PDS ration list, which Mallick detected and removed.
She also claimed the Left party persuaded the BJP to register the case against him.
"Balu was instrumental in providing digital ration cards to beneficiaries and introduced a system to track vehicles transporting PDS goods," Banerjee said.
She also defended her nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, questioning why honest business earnings were being scrutinised.
Addressing voters ahead of the two-phase Assembly polls, she said, "I am the candidate everywhere. One vote for Trinamool means voting for me. If you want development work to continue under my leadership, exercise your franchise with my face in mind."
Training her guns on the CPI(M), Banerjee asserted that the Left party drew a blank in the elections because of her.
The CPI(M)-led Left Front could not win a single seat in the 2021 Assembly elections, and also in the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Bengal.
"ED or CBI cases are not registered against CPI(M), because they play got-up games with the BJP," the TMC chief said.
Banerjee claimed that the CPI(M) candidates, by dividing votes, will try to help the BJP win seats, asserting that anti-BJP votes should go only to the TMC.
She said people were made to stand in long queues for SIR and asked voters, "Will you avenge this or not?"
She claimed that former CPI(M) workers and supporters have now shifted allegiance to the BJP, while accusing the saffron party, Left and Congress of being "in cahoots with each other."
"Where were they when SIR was being done?" she asked, asserting that only TMC workers stood by the people during that period.
