Bengaluru: Hitting back at BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said all those who beg for votes in a democracy are ‘Dasaiahs’ (one who goes with a begging bowl).
Mr Eshwarappa had on Saturday ridiculed the CM and the Congress party’s ‘Mane Manege Congress Nadige’ programme saying Mr Siddaramaiah had now become a ‘Dasaiah’. Reacting strongly, the CM said, “Mr Eshwarappa is mentally unsound and talks rubbish. Those who beg are called ‘Dasaiah’. In a democracy, people are our masters. All those who go before them begging for votes are Dasaiahs. The Congress will come back to power in the 2018 Assembly polls, thanks to the people's blessings.”
Asked about BJP leaders taking a delegation to Goa for discussing the Mahadayi drinking water scheme, Mr Siddaramaiah said he came to know through the media that state BJP leaders were meeting the Goa chief minister but did not have information about the agenda of discussion. “I can only request them to convince the Goa government to resolve the issue through a dialogue.”
Denying his government’s role in clamping cases on state BJP President B.S. Yeddyurappa, the CM said the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had filed a case on the basis of a complaint filed by an individual. Now, the high court had stayed the case. “What has this to do with my government? At the time of staying further proceedings, has the court said that the case was filed to harass Mr Yeddyurappa? There is no truth in his claim of harassment by my government.” On the Bengaluru mayoral polls, Mr Siddaramaiah ruled out any differences with Bengaluru Rural MP D.K. Suresh on the selection of the mayoral candidate.
