Siddaramaiah attacks BS Yediyurappa over bank exam language row, calls Karnataka CM a "mouse"
Bengaluru, July 13: Accusing the Centre of betraying Kannadigas by not allowing candidates to take the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection exams in Kannada, senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Tuesday called Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa a "mouse" for not standing up to the Centre on it.
In a series of tweets with "#IBPSMosa" (#IBPSCheating) he hit out at the ruling BJP at the centre and the state on the issue and demanded the resignations of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, a Rajya Sabha member from the state, and also Yediyurappa if they cannot ensure justice to Kannadigas.
"Narendra Modi is betraying Kannadigas by not allowing candidates to take IBPS exams in Kannada.
Latest notification by IBPS is an example for BJP's anti-Kannada stand.
Central govt should immediately address this and ensure justice to Kannadigas," Siddaramaiah tweeted.
Noting that Karnataka has elected 25 MPs to the Lok Sabha, he asked "What are these MPs doing? Though slavery is abolished, BJP Karnataka MPs are behaving like slaves of Narendra Modi. Shame on them!!"
"Yediyurappa's followers call him Huli (Tiger) but in reality he is ili (Mouse).
He hides in burrows when he has to stand up in front of Narendra Modi. Let him resign if he cannot ensure justice to Kannadigas," he added.
Pointing out that IBPS had called for applications to fill more than 3,000 vacant clerical positions in 11 nationalised banks, of which 407 posts are in Karnataka, the former Chief Minister said injustice to Kannada will result in huge unemployment by leaving out Kannadigas in the competition.
"Candidates were able to write IBPS exams in regional languages before 2014. After BJP came to power, rules were changed to allow English and Hindi only.
We had even written a letter to Narendra Modi to protest against this," he said.
Further, noting that most of the schemes of the Central and State governments are implemented through banks, on which farmers, labourers, women and many others are dependent, he said rural people are facing harassment from staff who don't know Kannada.
"Being elected to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, Nirmala Sitharaman has constantly betrayed Kannadigas and Kannada.
She has continued the same with respect to IBPS exams.
She is unfit to represent people of Karnataka in Rajya Sabha.
She should resign if she has any shame," he said.
.@BSYBJP's followers call him Huli (Tiger) but in reality he is ili (Mouse). He hides in burrows when he has to stand up in front of @narendramodi.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 13, 2021
Let him resign if he cannot ensure justice to Kannadigas.#IBPSMosa
.@narendramodi is betraying Kannadigas by not allowing candidates to take IBPS exams in Kannada. Latest notification by IBPS is an example for @BJP4India's anti-Kannada stand.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 13, 2021
Central govt should immediately address this & ensure justice to Kannadigas.#IBPSMosa pic.twitter.com/5RkTmXZFrN
Being elected to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, @nsitharaman has constantly betrayed Kannadigas and Kannada.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 13, 2021
She has continued the same with respect to IBPS exams. She is unfit to represent people of Karnataka in Rajya Sabha. She should resign if she has any shame.#IBPSExam
Karnataka has elected 25 MPs to Lok Sabha. What are these MPs doing?
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 13, 2021
Though slavery is abolished, @BJP4Karnataka MPs are behaving like slaves of @narendramodi.
Shame on them!!#IBPSMosa
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Annamalai left out of BJP’s candidate list for Tamil Nadu polls, party cites High Command decision
Chennai/New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party has released its list of 27 candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, triggering political discussion after the absence of former state president K Annamalai from the roster.
Despite being widely seen as the party’s most prominent face in the state and a key figure in its southern expansion strategy, Annamalai was not fielded in the list. Senior leaders, including Tamilisai Soundararajan from Mylapore, Vanathi Srinivasan from Coimbatore North, and Union Minister L. Murugan from Avinashi, have been nominated.
Responding to questions on the omission, Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran said the decision was taken by the party’s central leadership. He expressed confidence that all 27 candidates would emerge victorious in the polls.
Annamalai, a former IPS officer who joined the BJP in 2020 and rapidly rose to prominence, had earlier been replaced as state chief by Nagendran. Known for his aggressive political style and grassroots outreach, he has been instrumental in amplifying the party’s presence in Tamil Nadu, a state traditionally dominated by Dravidian parties.
In a message posted on X, Annamalai congratulated the candidates and reaffirmed his commitment to the party. He said he would campaign actively for BJP and NDA nominees, expressing confidence in the alliance securing a decisive mandate. He also criticised the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government, calling it ineffective and self-serving.
The BJP is contesting the elections as part of the National Democratic Alliance led by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Seat-sharing arrangements allocate 169 constituencies to the AIADMK, 27 to the BJP, 18 to the Pattali Makkal Katchi, 11 to the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, five to the Tamil Maanila Congress, and one seat each to the Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi and Puratchi Bharatham.
Tamil Nadu will vote in a single phase on April 23 across all 234 constituencies, with counting scheduled for May 4. The primary contest is expected between the DMK-led alliance and the AIADMK-led NDA, although actor-turned-politician Vijay is also positioning himself as a potential challenger, raising the possibility of a multi-cornered contest.
