Bengaluru: State JD (S) president H.D. Kumaraswamy said on Wednesday that only his party could rid the state of corruption and nail the accused in scams during the previous BJP rule as well as the present Congress government as both national parties have turned Karnataka into a grazing ground, a euphemism for exploitation of the area for filling their coffers.
He told the media after addressing a meeting of district office bearers' that BJP leaders were wary of launching a counteroffensive against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah or exposing corrupt deals of the state government even though the leader was speaking about them in a derogatory manner and even calling them names. "The Congress government is planning to purchase power from UPCL, which is owned by the Adani Group. During my tenure, I had black listed Adani Group. Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have entered into an agreement with the Adani Group, and paying the company without even procuring power. Now, he (Mr Gautam Adani) is blackmailing our state as well," he added.
Ridiculing claims of Mr Siddaramaiah that his government was scam-free, Mr Kumaraswamy said that he should have posted honest officers to prominent posts.
Stating that his party would aim to secure simple majority, Mr Kumaraswamy said he would concentrate more on 170 seats of the total 224 seats during next year's Assembly elections though JD (S) would field candidates in all constituencies.
Admitting that during the last 10 years, his party committed many mistakes, the former CM said every effort would be made to avoid these slip-ups. "Even without any effort, our party will secure 50-60 seats. My aim, however is to secure minimum 113 seats so that the party does not negotiate with anyone to form the government.”
