Kalaburagi: Asserting that his government had not done anything which would make Congress workers bow their heads in shame, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has goaded his partymen to become more aggressive to take on the BJP which was indulging in false propaganda.
Speaking at a function organized here to celebrate the 80th birthday of former Chief Minister N Dharam Singh, he primarily targeted the BJP. "Both RSS and BJP are adept at telling lies. Our workers need not get perturbed by their false propaganda. During the last three years and seven months, my government has not done anything which should make our partymen hang their heads in shame. On the contrary, my government has performed well by fulfilling 125 of the 165 promises made at the time of polls. Our workers should become more aggressive to expose the misdeeds and corrupt practices of BJP leaders", Mr Siddaramaiah stated.
The Chief Minister took a dig at both BJP and JD(S) for "day dreaming" of coming to power in the next elections. "While BJP leaders talk about Mission 150 (meaning winning 150 MLA seats), the leaders of JD(S), which exists only in five-six districts, are discussing Mission 125. The funniest part is that BJP leaders are already carrying out the exercise of distributing portfolios. Those who went to jail in the past, want to become ministers now. People have not forgotten their maladministration and misdeeds. The Congress will again form the government in the 2018 elections, let there be no doubt about it ", he asserted.
Mr Siddaramaiah flayed the opposition for their assurance to waive farmers loans, if voted to power. "There is competition between both parties. Of the total loans obtained by farmers, 80 per cent were given by nationalized banks. Let state BJP leaders pressurize the Centre to waive 50 per cent loans. My government will waive the rest", he said.
Without referring to reports of former Minister V Srinivas Prasad contesting as BJP candidate from Nanjangud, Mr Siddaramaiah criticized the BJP for luring eminent leaders of the Congress.
"How can BJP can claim the legacy of Gandhiji, Sardar Patel, Ambedkar and Vivekananda when none of these leaders espoused Hindutva? If anybody believes in the principles of Ambedkar and Basavanna, how he could join a communal party like BJP?", Mr Siddaramaiah asked, indirectly attacking Mr Prasad. The close friendship between Mallikarjun Kharge and Dharam Singh too came up for discussion during the speeches of Congress leaders.
