Mangaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s visit to Bantwal on Sunday to inaugurate projects and lay foundation stones, was more like a show of strength by the ruling Congress keeping the forthcoming Assembly polls in mind.
It has almost become certain that the battle for Bantwal and neighbouring constituencies in Dakshina Kannada district will revolve around the successes and failures of district in-charge minister and Bantwal strongman Ramanath Rai. While the opposition BJP is continuously trying to highlight the failures of Rai, Mr Siddaramaiah praised his achievements and his resolve to fight communal forces in the region. “Our aim is to defeat communal forces. Their tactics against our government will not work. We will come to power again and in the next five years, we will make Karnataka a model state,” he declared.
Blaming the Sangh Parivar for turning the coastal belt into a ‘lab,’ the CM said the Modi government at the Centre was supporting this. Lashing out at the Central government, he said, “Achche Din has come for Ambani, Adani and Baba Ramdev, not for the poor. BJP president Amit Shah’s son too has achche din. His company has made tremendous assets. What do Shah and Yeddyurappa have to say on this,” he wondered.
“Rai is the best leader Bantwal has seen. He has a clean image, he is the most secular leader and has never engaged in communal politics. Rai is a model politician. He gives a strong reply whenever communal forces tend to act rude,” he said.
Pushing scenes go viral!
A video reportedly showing Congress leaders pushing each other in the presence of CM Siddaramaiah has gone viral. It is said that when the CM arrived at the airport, former minister Abhayachandra Jain pushed MLC Ivan D'Souza to make way for the CM. But the CM, who was in a hurry, made way by pushing Jain and youth Congress leader Mithun Rai aside. Sources say that Mithun and Ivan are trying to contest from Moodabidri which is represented by Jain.
BJP netas making childish statements: Siddaramaiah
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah questioned the BJP leaders for opposing Tipu Sultan Jayanti and reminded them of their earlier praise for the former ruler. “BJP leader Jagadish Shettar had written the preamble for a book on Tipu, authored by former VC of Mangaluru University Sheikh Ali. Shettar had praised Tipu in the book stating that he was a great freedom fighter. He should try to recollect his earlier views,” the Chief Minister suggested.
Siddaramaiah also questioned BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa and Udupi MP Shobha Karandlaje for changing their stance. “When Yeddyurappa was with the KJP, didn’t he praise Tipu, wearing a crown and holding a sword? Now Union Minister Ananth Kumar and Shobha Karandlaje are making childish statements saying their names should not be included in the Tipu Sultan Jayanti invitations,” he said.
“Some BJP leaders want the Taj Mahal to be demolished. Will they do the same to the historic Red Fort, Parliament House and Rashtrapati Bhavan? They are our historic monuments which we need to protect," Siddaramaiah said.
