JDS not contesting bypolls as it wants its "marginal" votes to go to BJP: Siddaramaiah
Hubballi: Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah alleged on Thursday JDS was not contesting the coming Assembly and Lok Sabha by-elections in north Karnataka as the party wants its "marginal votes" to go to the ruling BJP in the State.
His comments a day after JDS patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda said his party would not field candidates as it did not have the funds to fight the bypolls.
Bypolls for Belgaum (Belagavi) Lok Sabha, and Basavakalyan, Sindgi and Maski Assembly seats are due and the schedule is expected to be announced by the Election Commission soon.
Siddaramaiah, also Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, told reporters here that the JDS was not strong in these constituencies.
"They want their marginal votes also to go to BJP. Hence, JDS is not contesting," he claimed.
Senior JDS MLC, Basavaraj Horatti was elected Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council on Tuesday with the support of the BJP amid indications that the two parties are warming up to each other.
To a question on the ongoing agitation demanding ST (Scheduled Tribe) status to the Kuruba (shepherd) community, to which he also belongs, Siddaramaiah said when he was Chief Minister he had ordered a 'Kulashastra Adhyayana' (ethnographic study) about categorising Kurubas into ST category.
"The study is still ongoing.The demands should be made after the study is over.In my opinion, rallies are not needed at this point," he said.
In a show of strength, Kurubas, categorised as Other Backward Castes (OBCs), staged a mammoth rally last Sunday demanding ST tag for the community.
Siddaramaiah alleged that the BJP and RSS were playing politics in the issue to provide reservation to Kurubas, and "their main motive is to divide Kuruba community".
"Why is K S Eshwarappa (a Kuruba and senior minister in the B S Yediyurappa Cabinet) is protesting against his own party? This clearly exposes their motive," Siddaramaiah said.
Reacting to Siddaramaiah's statement, Eshwarappa, the Rural Development and Panchayatraj Minister, sought to know why Siddaramaiah was "opposed to the campaign" by the community.
"We have no objection to the Kulashastra Adhyayana but Siddaramaiah should make it clear why this agitation is not required," Eshwarappa told reporters in the district headquarters town of Shivamogga.
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PM Modi silent on Sabarimala issue, doesn’t care about religion, claims Rahul Gandhi
Pathanamthitta (Kerala) (PTI): Launching a sharp attack on Narendra Modi, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that the Prime Minister remained silent on the Sabarimala issue during his Kerala visit, indicating that the BJP-LDF works together.
Addressing a Congress election meeting in Adoor, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, claimed that the party was facing a "combination" of CPI(M) and BJP in the April 9 Assembly elections.
"We are fighting an election against the LDF, which is fully supported by the BJP. On one side is the UDF and on the other is a CPI(M)-BJP combination," he said.
He alleged that there was a "hidden hand" of the BJP in Kerala, a concept often used by economists in the market.
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"The BJP does not want the UDF here because they know the Congress is the only force challenging them nationally. We have an ideological fight with the BJP and the RSS," he said.
He further claimed that while opposition leaders face action by central agencies, no such pressure is being exerted on the LDF leadership in Kerala.
"I have faced 36 cases and interrogated for 55 hours continuously. But there is no such action against the Kerala chief minister or LDF leaders," he alleged.
Referring to Modi's speech in Palakkad on Sunday, Gandhi said the Prime Minister often speaks about temples and religion, but remained silent on Sabarimala.
"He forgot to speak about Sabarimala. He did not mention the issues related to Lord Ayyappa temple. This shows that BJP and LDF are working together," he alleged in the district where the Lord Ayyappa temple is located.
The Congress leader also claimed that the Prime Minister raises religious issues only when it suits electoral interests.
"For him (Modi), if it brings votes, he will speak about temples. Otherwise, he will remain silent," he said.
He asserted that those responsible for alleged irregularities related to the temple would be held accountable when the UDF comes to power.
