BJP leaders practise politics of lies and double standards, says Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah

“BJP leaders practice politics of lies and double standards. We should all be wary of them,’’ Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said at Bevinmatti village in Bagalkot district on Friday (April 3). He was addressing a campaign rally for Congress candidate Umesh Meti.

“BJP leaders are not people of integrity or credibility. There is not a shred of truth in what they say. They should not be believed at any cost. They neither have the willingness nor the capacity to fulfil the assurances they make to the people, and cannot tolerate it when other parties do it. They are needlessly criticising the Congress over meaningless issues,” he alleged.

Claiming that BJP leaders have no constructive agenda and that their politics is about dividing society on the basis of caste and religion, he said, “BJP leaders are making false allegations against us, only because they are afraid of being defeated in Bagalkot and Davangere South.”

Mr. Siddaramaiah said that under the Congress leadership, Karnataka had emerged as the State with the highest per capita income in the country. “However, the wrong policies of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre has increased inequality of wealth across the country,’’ he said.

“Karnataka stands second in the country in terms of tax collection. The people of the State are happy with our governance. We will form the government in 2028. The BJP is unable to digest this. It is desperate and is resorting to unfair tricks,’’ he said.

He chided the BJP for roping in Basanagouda Patil Yatnal for the BJP campaign in Bagalkot. “They have to go back to a leader expelled for indiscipline. On the one hand, they say expulsion, but on the other, they request him to come and campaign. This shows the deplorable condition of the party. They have no notion of discipline,’’ he said.

Later, he told reporters the allegations made by BJP leaders and Mr. Yatnal that the Congress is practising minority appeasement are false and baseless. “Our government works on the basis of equal opportunities for all. The Budget is also based on the same principle. All communities have got support proportionate to their population. Minorities form 14% of the population. Are they not citizens of this country? They are entitled to the share of welfare and development funds. Opposing such things amounts to practising hate speech and following a communal agenda and is therefore against the spirit of the Constitution,’’ he said.

Responding to a comment by Union Minister V. Somanna that Mr. Siddaramaiah would lose his chair after a month and a half, the Chief Minister said, “Mr. Somanna is not our party’s high command to talk about the position of Chief Ministers. He does not have that authority. He is going around making such statements as he has no real work in the Union government. No files come to him. He is a Minister without a job. He is not campaigning much because of the fear of losing, not because he is busy.”