Congress should reprimand Priyank Kharge: BJP
New Delhi, Aug 13: The BJP on Saturday asked the Congress to "reprimand" its Karnataka leader Priyank Kharge for his "demeaning" remarks suggesting that women in the state have to give sexual favours for getting jobs.
If a woman from Karnataka wants a job, she will have to get on to the couch and men can land a job only by paying a bribe, Kharge, the son of Congress stalwart Mallikarjun Kharge, had alleged hitting out at the BJP dispensation in Karnataka.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra slammed Priyank Kharge for the "absolutely appalling statement demeaning to women".
The National Commission for Women should question him, he said.
Noting that the Congress is headed by a woman leader, he said Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should reprimand him for making such an "abhorrent" remark.
The BJP government in Karnataka has become a "Lancha-Mancha Sarkara" (bribe and couch government), Kharge, a former state minister, had said in Kannada at a press conference on Friday.
He was referring to Ramesh Jarkiholi's resignation as Water Resources Minister over his alleged involvement in a sex-for-job scandal.
Another BJP MLA K S Eshwarappa resigned as minister after a civil contractor died by suicide alleging that the former had demanded 40 per cent commission for execution of public work.
In this government, you have to shell out money to get a government job. In the past, two ministers of this government have resigned, Kharge said.
The state BJP also hit back at Kharge, saying he should first look inside his party.
The stories of the colourful nightlife of the Congress leaders are not mere hearsay. There are many secret CDs available, it tweeted.
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Former minister C M Ibrahim announces to launch new regional party for Karnataka
Kalaburagi: Two years after being expelled from the Janata Dal (Secular), former minister C.M. Ibrahim has announced that he will launch a new regional political party in Karnataka on January 24, reported Deccan Herald.
Speaking at a meeting organised by the Nava Karnataka Nirmana Andolana in Kalaburagi on Sunday, Ibrahim confirmed the birth of the new party.
The 77-year-old politician stated he would soon be meeting with other like-minded individuals to choose a symbol for the party.
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Ibrahim emphasised that the organisation would be guided by the principles of 12th-century social reformer Basavanna and the architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
A veteran politician, Ibrahim served as Union Civil Aviation Minister during the tenure of H.D. Deve Gowda as Prime Minister and later headed the Karnataka unit of the Janata Dal (Secular). He was expelled from the JD(S) in 2023 on charges of anti-party activities.
His exit from the party followed sharp differences over the JD(S) decision to ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As the then state president of the JD(S), Ibrahim had publicly criticised the alliance, claiming it was finalised without his knowledge. He had also reportedly convened meetings of his supporters and expressed support for the INDIA bloc.
