Ajit Karn
BJP and Congress leaders exchanged barbs during the Karnataka election campaign on Friday, as electioneering intensified in the southern state with less than a month until the election.
While the Congress mocked the BJP for its “delay” in releasing its list of candidates, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai retorted that the opposition party in the state lacked candidates on a number of seats and borrowed them from other parties.
The two parties also disagreed over the Karnataka government’s decision to remove religious minorities from the backward classes list, which granted them 4% reservation, and place them under the 10% quota for economically disadvantaged sections.
Bommai stated that the central leadership of the BJP will determine the candidates, while the state unit will recommend a list of names.
“There will be a meeting on the 8th and 9th of April, and it appears that tickets will be distributed on the 10th.” The selection of tickets is proceeding in accordance with the regulations. We held three consecutive days of meetings and solicited the opinions of party workers, leaders, and citizens. We’ll examine the final list once we’ve cleared three names (for each constituency),” he said.
He also responded to Congress leader DK Shivakumar’s statement that they will reverse the BJP government’s decision regarding religious minority reservations in the list of backward classes.
Bommai stated, “They cannot touch it; let’s see what they can do.”
Congress leader Siddaramaiah, who is viewed as a potential candidate for chief minister if the party wins the election, stated that the party hopes to win at least 130 of 224 seats.
He stated that this election will be his last and he will retire from electoral politics.
Siddaramaiah stated that his relationship with the president of the Karnataka Congress, DK Shivakumar, is cordial.
“I am running for the Varuna assembly constituency because my hometown falls within its boundaries. This election will be my final one. I plan to leave electoral politics. My relationship with DK Shivakumar, president of the Karnataka Congress, is cordial. No distinctions exist between us. Certainly, disparities exist in a democracy, but they are not detrimental to the party.”
This time, we anticipate more than 130 seats, and the Congress Party will assume authority with a comfortable majority. “The people have chosen to change the government,” he continued.
Siddaramaiah lashed out at the Chief Minister and the governing BJP.
“BJP is a religious organization. Our party is secular. There cannot be any inequality among Karnataka’s citizens. I treat all human beings equally, regardless of their Hindu, Muslim, Christian, or other community or religion affiliation, he told media.
“Basavaraj Bommai failed miserably to safeguard Kannadigas’ interests. “Modi and Shah are coming to Karnataka to garner votes and claim it’s a double-engine government, but the Maharashtra government is blatantly interfering with the autonomy of the state,” he said.
He also criticized the BJP for its stance on reservations.
“Reclassification (of reservations) is improper and unconstitutional. It is not valid… We have no objection to increasing Vokkaliga and Lingayat reservations, but why you eliminated Muslim reservations is beyond us. It obviously demonstrates political vengeance and animosity, said the Congress leader.
Siddaramaiah, a former chief minister, announced his candidacy from the Varuna assembly constituency, which has been approved by the party’s central leadership.
“I’m not interested in running, but the people of Kolar want me to run from there,” he said.
Congress and Janata Dal-Secular have announced 166 and 93 candidates for Karnataka elections, respectively.
DK Shivakumar criticized the BJP by stating that while the Congress has published two lists of candidates for assembly elections in the state, the BJP has been unable to “release even its first list.”He added that if the Congress forms a government in Karnataka, it will reverse the BJP’s decision to remove religious minorities from the list of neglected classes, under which they received 4% reservation.
“To date, the Congress party has released two candidate lists, and discussions are currently underway regarding a third list. As soon as possible, Congress will also release the third list.” However, the BJP has been unable to publish even its first list,” Shivakumar told the media here.
Shivakumar also took potshots at AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.”I do not wish to elaborate on this topic. Asaduddin Owaisi is comparable to the BJP’s A, B, and C teams. The people of Karnataka are exceptionally intelligent, and the Congress will form the government, said Shivakumar.
Thursday, the Congress released its second list of 42 candidates for the Karnataka elections. No decision has yet been made regarding who will run from Kolar.
“The BJP administration removed four percent of minority reservation, which is illegal, and the minority (community) will support the Congress party. After the formation of a Congress government, we will safeguard the rights of minorities and alter the reservation policy, said Shivakumar.
The Karnataka administration led by the BJP has decided to remove religious minorities from the list of backward classes and redistribute the 4% quota. It was stated that minorities will receive reservations under the 10% quota for economically disadvantaged groups.
The Karnataka BJP also struck back at Shivakumar. “DK Shivakumar clarified that the Okkaliga, Veerashaiva-Lingayat, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes reservations will be canceled. For appeasement politics, INC Karnataka will be punished proportionately for these communities’ right to be uprooted, the party said in a tweet.
AICC-in-charge of Karnataka for the Congress, Randeep Surjewala, claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is “panic-stricken” because it has not released its first list of candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections.
“Because Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is unwilling to run for re-election from his seat, and his ministers are unwilling to do so as well. Everyone is running from their chairs. Nobody wishes to run for office, so they rely on movie stars and rowdy sheeters…,” he claimed.
Minister of Health of Karnataka K Sudhakar stated that the BJP has always assured social justice when distributing election tickets.
“Let’s delay one additional day. The BJP has always provided ample opportunities for youth and women and upheld social justice. Above all else, we have always prioritized party employees. Therefore, the celebration differs from all parties held today,” he said.
He stated that Congress lacks clarity regarding its chief ministerial candidate for the impending election.
“I am seeing more Surjewala than Siddaramaiah and DK Shivkumar. Let them choose one expression; they cannot utter both. They (Congress) lack clarity regarding who will become the visage of the CM. We have clarity, a prime minister who will guide the government, and a capable, efficient chief minister in Basavaraj Bommai, who is also the chairperson of the campaign committee, said Sudhakar.
In the meantime, Janata Dal-Secular has written to the Election Commission requesting that the show starring Kannada actor Kiccha Sudeep and advertisements featuring him be halted until the end of the elections. This is due to the fact that his films, advertisements, posters, etc. can influence votes, as he is currently recognized as the BJP’s leading campaigner.
“Mr. Sudeep, along with the Karnataka chief minister, holds a press conference, with invitations to all media sent on BJP letterhead.” He claims that he will do whatever CM says, is a member of a political party, and is therefore a politician. According to the law of the land, anyone with a political affiliation is prohibited from appearing on a public platform. We have therefore asked the EC to investigate Sudeep’s movies, OTT platforms, and advertisements…”: JD-S leader Tanveer Ahmed explained.
Sudhakar responded to the JD-S’s action.
“It makes no difference if they broadcast it on television or not. Kichcha Sudeep is a tremendously popular actor; if he supports our people in a campaign, we will receive tremendous support from our cadre, and he will also win us ballots and seats.
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Assembly elections in Karnataka will be conducted in a single phase on May 10, with vote counting scheduled for May 13.
