Mysuru: Coming down hard on BJP leaders bad mouthing his party candidate for Gundulpet, Geetha Mahadev Prasad, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday regretted that they did not have respect for women, especially one who was grieving the loss of her husband.
Addressing a public meeting at Harave in the constituency, he recalled that MPs Pratap Simha and Renukacharya had spoken badly of Ms Geetha.
"Speaking badly about a woman who has lost her husband, will not bring them any respect. She did not agree to contest the elections initially as she was grieving the loss of her husband. But sometimes it becomes inevitable to face elections even when we are in grief. So we brought pressure on her to contest the by- elections. Else she would never have come into politics," he said.
Claiming that BJP state chief, B S Yeddyurappa , who was promising to waive off farm loans if brought to power, had dismissed the suggestion when he was Chief Minister saying he was no machine to print notes, Mr Siddaramaiah alleged he was also lying about giving sarees to women during his stint in office.
"Has any woman present here worn a saree given by them? Mr Yeddyurappa i always stern and never smiles. And such a person wants to be Chief Minister. Should people vote seeing the faces of Mr Yeddyurappa and Shobha Karandlaje?" he asked.
Claiming that the late minister Mahadevprasad had done a great deal for Gundlupet's development over the past 25 years, he said a Rs 500 crore project to provide drinking water to 139 villages which he had begun, would be completed shortly and be inaugurated next month.
Asserting that no party could win elections in the name of caste or religion in Karnataka , the Chief Minister said it was no Uttar Pradesh.
"It is the land of Basavanna, Kuvempu, Kanakadasa and Bhageeratha. The BJP's game will not work here," he warned.
Energy Minister, D K Shivkumar, who addressed the rally as well, also too strong objection to BJP leaders "hurting" Ms Geetha Mahadevprasad "She is crying and regretting entering politics," he said.
