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BJP leaders go all out against Deve Gowda, Kumaraswamy
| ‘It is the BJP’s actions that brought glory to coalition Government’ |
Show of strength: Bharatiya Janata Party workers participating in a rally to Raj Bhavan in Bangalore on Sunday.
Bangalore: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Sunday led thousands of workers who had come from all over the State in a rally to Raj Bhavan here.
After the meeting with Governor Rameshwar Thakur, the leaders returned to the starting point of their rally, the Mahatma Gandhi statue, and went took up cudgels with their estranged ally, the Janata Dal (Secular).
Several of them referred to Janata Dal (S) president and former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda and Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy as “traitors”, while giving themselves full marks for the two budgets presented by the coalition Government.
It is the BJP’s actions and honouring of promises that brought “glory” to the coalition Government, they claimed.
The former Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa accused Mr. Deve Gowda of refusing to see just how much he (Mr. Yediyurappa) had achieved and contributed to the coalition Government’s glory.
“He has been claiming credit for his son for every single achievement. But he never acknowledged my good work even once though I presented two good budgets.”
Mr. Yediyurappa wondered how Mr. Deve Gowda, who had in the beginning acknowledged that the coalition was safe for minorities with no communal tension, was now accusing the BJP of turning Karnataka into a “Hindutva laboratory.” BJP general secretary H.N. Ananth Kumar accused Mr. Kumaraswamy of conveniently forgetting that it was the BJP with its 79 MLAs that had supported the Janata Dal (S) which had 48 MLAs and “allowed” him to become the Chief Minister first. D.V. Sadananda Gowda, BJP State president, said the party had “tolerated” the Janata Dal (S) even when it had pointed an accusing finger at the Sangh Parivar, just to honour the “coalition dharma”.
Later addressing presspersons, Mr. Yediyurappa refuted Mr. Deve Gowda’s allegations that he had not visited the riot-affected areas of Mangalore and spoken to the victims. “I am ready to retire from politics if the charges are true. But Mr. Deve Gowda should give a public apology if the charges are false.”
In reaction to Mr. Kumaraswamy’s statement that some leaders within the BJP had tried to prevent transfer of power, Mr. Yediyurappa said that this was “only an attempt to break the unity of the BJP by the Janata Dal (S)”. Close on the heels of withdrawing support to the Janata Dal (S), the BJP is beginning a week-long Statewide campaign from Monday to highlight the “betrayal of trust” by the Janata Dal (S).
The BJP leaders would commence the campaign called “Punish the betrayers and save Karnataka” after seeking the blessings of Shivakumara Swamiji of Siddaganga Math, Tumkur. The party leaders will meet prominent personalities from different walks of life in various districts during their campaign.
The BJP has also decided to hold a massive public meeting in Bangalore on October 18, when Mr. Kumaraswamy is planning to convene a legislature session. Mr. Yediyurappa said the proposed rally would be attended by about five lakh party workers.
Meanwhile, Mr. Yediyurappa directed the members and chiefs of various boards and corporations nominated from the party to hand in their resignations to him.
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