K’taka: Yediyurappa urges voters to defeat Congress in Davanagere

Davanagere, March 31 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Central Parliamentary Committee Member and former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa on Tuesday intensified campaigning for the Davanagere South Assembly by-election.

Addressing a party workers’ meeting at Aranahalli village, he launched a sharp attack on the state government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

In a strongly worded speech, Yediyurappa accused the Chief Minister of “betrayal and breach of trust,” alleging that the current administration was indulging in “daylight robbery.”

He claimed that the people of Bagalkot and Davanagere would collectively resolve to unseat Siddaramaiah from power in the upcoming elections.

Targeting the alleged use of money power in polls, Yediyurappa said those who contest elections by spending crores must be taught a lesson.

He urged party workers to extend full support to BJP candidate Srinivas Dasakariyappa and work towards ensuring his victory.

The veteran leader also levelled corruption allegations, claiming that funds had been diverted to Telangana and that large sums of money were being distributed in Bagalkot and Davanagere to influence voters.

He further accused the Congress government of scrapping several pro-poor schemes introduced during the BJP’s tenure.

Highlighting his age and commitment, Yediyurappa said he had come to campaign despite being 85 and that he would not be able to travel everywhere.

He called upon party workers to take ownership of the campaign, urging them to act as candidates themselves from the next day.

“If you do that, I will remember you till my last breath,” he told the gathering.

Stating that people were frustrated with what he termed as the “misrule” of the Congress government, Yediyurappa appealed to voters to give a fitting reply by ensuring the victory of the BJP candidate in the by-election.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and BJP Member of Parliament Basavaraj Bommai alleged that “tax terrorism” had begun in the state after Siddaramaiah assumed office as Chief Minister for the second time.

Speaking to media representatives, he criticised the government for sharply increasing prices of alcohol, milk, and electricity in its first budget.

He said taxes had gone up across the board, including stamp duty and land values, and that motor vehicle taxes had also been increased.

“In the last three years, this government has imposed new taxes worth RS 60,000 crore on the people,” he alleged.

Bommai further claimed that the government had taken fresh loans amounting to nearly Rs 5 lakh crore, earning Siddaramaiah the tag of a “record borrower.”

“We have never seen such a corrupt government,” he said.

He alleged that registrations in Bengaluru did not take place without the exchange of bribes and claimed that corruption existed even in the rice distributed by the government.

He also alleged corruption in the purchase of medicines for hospitals, as well as in tahsildar offices and ministers’ offices.

“Corruption has begun from the Chief Minister’s office itself,” he said, adding that transfers had become a major “industry” and that the administration had completely collapsed.

Accusing the government of burdening people with corruption, Bommai said he was confident that the public would bless the BJP.

–IANS

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