Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who came down on the BJP on Friday, said its downfall had begun and the Asssembly poll results were an indication of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s waning popularity.
Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address, the Chief Minister said in the Legislative Council that Mr. Modi visited the State a record 28 times for campaigning during the Assembly elections. “However, the BJP lost miserably wherever the Prime Minister campaigned and this is proof of the decline of ‘Modi magic.’ Your party’s downfall has begun from Karnataka,” he said.
Asserting that Mr. Modi was the only Prime Minister to make such an extensive tour of Karnataka and other States during Assembly elections, Mr. Siddaramaiah said: “While all previous Prime Ministers concentrated on governance and administration, winning Assembly elections became more important for Mr. Modi. People are now aware of your intentions and that is why they have given us mandate. Your party’s representation is zero in seven districts.”
Recalling the statements of BJP leaders of establishing a Congress-free Karnataka, the Chief Minister said: “We will not say that we will make Karnataka free of BJP. But, we will definitely say that you should never again be in power in Karnataka. You should always remain in the Opposition. Otherwise, the State will not develop.”
No LoP
Ridiculing the party for not choosing its leader yet in the Assembly, Mr. Siddaramaiah said: “Yours is an active Opposition party without a leader. You claim that the BJP is a disciplined party but it is unfortunate that you have not been able to appoint a leader. I did not know that BJP would be so politically bankrupt. I think you have decided to make JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy as the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly,” he said.
Bedlam, walkout
The issue of the Centre not selling additional rice to Karnataka to implement the Anna Bhagya scheme triggered a war of words between the Congress and BJP members, resulting in pandemonium in the Council too.
Refuting the Chief Minister’s allegation that the Centre had deliberately made the Food Corporation of India refuse rice to the State despite having stocks, the BJP members shouted slogans and walked out of the House.
There was chaos in the House for sometime and repeated attempts by Chairman Basavaraj Horatti to stop the BJP members from creating a ruckus failed. Later, Mr. Horatti expressed helplessness, saying it was a shame that members did not pay heed to the Chair.
The Chief Minister said BJP members had thrown all norms to the winds in the House out of frustration. “They are not able to tolerate our popularity. They had assumed that we will not be able to implement our guarantees. But, we will implement the guarantees with prudent tax collection and mobilisation of resources,” he said.
