Will continue as CM for next two years, says Yediyurappa
Hassan (K'taka): BJP national general secretary Arun Singh's statement ruling out his replacement has given him "more strength", Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Friday and asserted that he will work for the development of the state during the remaining two years of the term.
The 78-year-old Lingayat strongman also said his responsibility has increased because of the trust shown in him by the BJP high command.
"Arun Singh who is Karnataka in-charge has said that there is no question (of leadership change).. it doesn't arise and that Yediyurappa will remain (CM) for the next two years and complete the term-- where does that question arise," Yediyurappa said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters after a review meeting with officials and public representatives from the district, he said, "it has been clarified that Yediyurappa will continue for the remaining two years and with the cooperation of everyone I will focus on development and tour across the state, and will make honest efforts to do a good job."
Amid speculation about leadership change in Karnataka, Singh, who is BJP's national general secretary in-charge of the state, on Thursday had ruled out replacing the Chief Minister and asserted that Yediyurappa will continue in the top post.
Yediyurappa in response to a question said that Singh's statement has given him "more strength".
"Hundred per cent, when our Karnataka in-charge has said there is no change for the remaining two years and good work is happening under my leadership, my responsibility has increased.I will put more effort and honestly work for the next two years, and try to live up to the trust shown in me by PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah (Home Minister)," he added.
Speculation has been rife for some time now that efforts were on, by a section of the ruling BJP to exert pressure for unseating Yediyurappa.
Some BJP legislators are said to be pushing for convening a legislature party meeting, citing some decisions taken by the government, its functioning, handling of the COVID crisis and alleged instances of corruption, among others.
Amid speculation, Yediyurappa had recently said he will continue in the top post as long as the BJP high command has confidence in him, and he had no confusion about it.
Earlier too there has been intense speculation in some quarters that the BJP high command is mulling leadership change in Karnataka in the days to come considering Yediyurappa's advancing age.
Though the BJP had officially rejected outright such speculation in the past, it refuses to die down, with some within the party like senior MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal giving credence to it with his statements, setting repeated deadlines for Yediyurappa's exit.
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Congress chief Kharge writes to PM Modi, seeks time to explain party's 'Nyay Patra'
New Delhi, Apr 25: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought time from him to explain in person the party's 'Nyay Patra'.
In his two-page letter, he told the prime minister that he is being misinformed by his advisors about things that are not even written in the 'Nyay Patra' -- the Congress' manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections.
The letter comes after the prime minister attacked the Congress over its manifesto, alleging that the party aims to "redistribute the wealth" of people and give it away to "infiltrators".
Modi also accused the Congress of snatching women's "mangalsutra".
In his letter, Kharge said the Congress' 'Nyay Patra' aims at providing "nyay (justice)" to the youngsters, women, farmers, labourers and marginalised people across all castes and communities.
"It has become your habit to seize on a few words taken out of context and create a communal divide. You are lowering the dignity of the chair by speaking in this manner," he said.
"You are being misinformed by your advisors about things that are not even written in our manifesto. I would be more than happy to meet you in person to explain our 'Nyay Patra' so that, as prime minister of the country, you don't make any statements that are false," he added.
The Congress chief also said he is neither shocked nor surprised by the language used by the prime minister in his recent speeches.
"It was expected that you and other leaders from your party would start speaking in this manner after you saw the dismal performance of the BJP in the first phase of the elections," Kharge said in the letter.
The Congress has been talking about the deprived poor and their rights ("nyay"), he said and added, "We are aware that you and your government do not have any concern for the poor and dispossessed."
"Your 'suit-boot ki sarkar' works for the corporates whose taxes you reduced while the salaried class pays higher taxes. The poor pay GST even on food and salt and the rich corporate claim GST refunds. That is why, when we talk of inequality between the rich and the poor, you are purposely equating it with Hindu and Muslim," Kharge claimed.
"Our manifesto is for the people of India -- whether they are Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Jain or Buddhist. I think you have still not forgotten your pre-Independence allies the Muslim League and colonial masters," he charged.
Kharge claimed the Congress has always served to empower the poor while "you have ruled to snatch the earnings and wealth of the poor".
He said in the letter, "Your government was the one who used demonetisation as an 'organised loot and legalised plunder' to transfer the money deposited by the poor in the banks to the rich in the form of loans. Then, as part a of conscious design, these loans were surreptitiously written off by your government. The lakhs of crores of corporate loans that your government has written off since 2014 is a transfer of wealth from poor to rich. No farmer's loans, artisan's loans, MSME loans or student loans were waived off by you."
"You and your government have repeatedly turned away from the atrocities that the poor and backward women are facing … Today, you talk about their 'mangalsutra'. Isn't your government responsible for the atrocities against women in Manipur, against Dalit girls, garlanding of rapists? When farmers are committing suicide under your government, how are you protecting their wives and children?," Kharge asked.
The Congress chief suggested that Modi read about "Nari Nyay" that, he said, the party will implement when its comes to power.
Kharge also advised the prime minister to not "get carried away by your own people who are clapping at your speeches".
"They are not allowing you to hear the crores of right-thinking citizens who are disappointed by your speeches," the Congress chief said.
Sharing Kharge's letter on X, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge ji has just written to the prime minister, saying that he would be happy to meet him to explain the reality of the Congress' 'Nyay Patra', which Mr Modi may have missed in his persistent efforts to distort and defame it."
कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष मल्लिकार्जुन @kharge जी ने अभी प्रधानमंत्री को पत्र लिखकर उनसे मिलने का समय मांगा है। प्रधानमंत्री #CongressNyayPatra पत्र की जिन चीज़ों को लेकर भ्रम फैला रहे हैं और लोगों को गुमराह करने की नाकाम कोशिश कर रहे हैं, उन्हें खरगे जी प्रधानमंत्री को मिलकर सही अर्थों… pic.twitter.com/7D4Mk085je
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 25, 2024
