The BJP election bandwagon led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah rolled into Varuna on May 2 as part of the campaign for the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, which are scheduled on May 10. Addressing a public gathering at Hosakote in Varuna, Mr. Shah referred to the BJP’s ban on Popular Front of India (PFI) and ‘cautioned the crowd that a return of the Congress would amount to lifting the ban on the PFI.
The BJP has scrapped reservation for Muslims while the Congress had promised to restore it, which would amount to reducing the share of Lingayats and Vokkaligas, he added.
The Congress, Mr. Shah said, had converted Karnataka into an ATM for the party while the BJP is striving for its development.
Referring to Mr. Siddarmaiaah’s ‘corrupt Lingayat CM’ remark, Mr. Shah said it is an insult to the community and alleged that the Congress has a history of humiliating Lingayat leaders like S. Nijalingappa and Veerendra Patil by removing them from power.
‘In contrast, the BJP made Lingayats like B.S. Yediyurappa the Chief Minister and he introduced the first agricultural budget in the State, while Basavaraj Bommai has extended the irrigation network to help agriculture,” said Mr. Shah.
Congress kept the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway on hold for 5 years until Mr. Yediyurappa revived the project. Mysugar factory in Mandya became defunct during the Congress rule but was revived by BJP, he added.
Questioning Mr. Siddaramaiah for changing his constituency frequently, he said it was because no development takes place in the constituency from where he is elected, and the former CM fears being voted out by the people.
He asked the people why they should vote a person who has announced that this will be his last election and wants to retire. He exhorted them to instead elect a leader ‘who is prepared to work and toil round-the-clock for their welfare’.
If “V. Somanna is elected from Varuna, I promise we will make him something big, and this constituency will be a model for the State,” said Mr. Shah.
He said that the elections in Karnataka were important for the country, but Varuna is the most prestigious contest.
At Hanur, where he campaigned for Preetham Nagappa and BJP candidates from other constituencies in Chamarajanagar district, Mr. Shah said a vote for the BJP would expedite development of Karnataka but the State would shift to reverse gear if a Congress government is installed.
He took a swipe at the guarantee cards of the Congress saying ’they were guaranteed to increase corruption, dynastic politics, appeasement politics, and to stoke riots’.
