Shivamogga: BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa reacted sharply against AICC president Rahul Gandhi terming him as a ‘mad fellow’. Talking to the media persons at the helipad on Thursday, Yeddyurappa reacting to the tweet made by Rahul Gandhi saying ‘Modi sending all tainted leaders to assembly’, said there is no need to give importance to the statement made by Rahul Gandhi.

Yeddyurappa was speaking to media persons here on Thursday. He said “Rahul lacks minimum knowledge of how to speak.” Rahul’s tweet came after PM Modi for levelling corruption charges against the Siddaramaiah government.

The tweet by Rahul was directed against BJP leaders who are contesting for the assembly elections. The tweet targets all those leaders who are facing charges under different issues including Yeddyurappa.

On Thursday, Rahul said the BJP had given tickets to eight tainted candidates for the upcoming elections. Rahul who is on visit to the state questioned the Prime Minister’s authority to speak on corruption while he was surrounded by BJP leaders involved in corruption. On April 2, Rahul tweeted that ‘Oppression of Dalits is in the DNA of BJP and RSS’ which evoked strong remarks.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP over alleged disparaging remarks made by former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during an assembly bypoll campaign in Bagalkote.

Simha made the remarks while campaigning for BJP candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, triggering a political row ahead of the by-elections scheduled for April 9.

Congress has fielded Umesh Meti, son of former MLA late M Y Meti, whose death necessitated the bye-election.

"Pratap Simha's vile remarks about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bagalkot have exposed the BJP's despicable politics once again," Surjewala said in a social media post.

Alleging a larger political design, he added, "It is increasingly evident that Pratap Simha’s outburst is driven by desperation," and accused the BJP of using such remarks to target backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities.

The Rajya Sabha member further claimed that the incident reflects a pattern within the party. "This is not one man's madness—it is the BJP’s political culture," he said, adding that the remarks were aimed at "denigrating leaders from marginalised communities".

Referring to past incidents, Surjewala said, "CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar have received death threats in the past, including one from BJP leaders who warned that their bodies would be stuffed into a refrigerator."

The Congress leader also criticised the BJP’s bypoll campaign strategy, alleging "internal contradictions".

He pointed to the party’s use of expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in campaigning despite earlier disciplinary action against him, accusing the BJP of resorting to "abuses and indignities" against opposition leaders.

Surjewala demanded immediate action from the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, state president B Y Vijayendra, and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka.

He said they must tender a public apology to Kannadigas, particularly to OBCs, SCs, and minorities, over the remarks, and urged the party to expel Simha if it does not repudiate his statements.

Surjewala also called for legal action, demanding that an FIR be registered against Simha and that strict measures be taken.

Warning of "political consequences", he said the electorate in the bypoll-bound constituencies would respond decisively if the BJP failed to apologise, asserting that voters would "teach the BJP a befitting lesson" in the elections.

There has been no immediate reaction from the saffron party yet.