Shah seeks support for BJP in Old Mysuru region, calls Congress & JD(S) corrupt

PTI, Dec 30, 2022, 5:37 PM IST

Image credit: ANI / File

Mandya: Hitting the ground running in poll-bound Karnataka, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday called Congress and JD(S) ”parivaarvadi” (dynastic politics) and ”corrupt”, and urged the people of Mandya and Old Mysuru region to support the BJP by forming a government with majority in the state.

The BJP is considered to be weak in the Vokkaliga-dominated Old Mysuru region, and is focusing on this belt to gain complete majority in 2023 Assembly polls.

”Enough of JD(S)-Congress, Congress-JD(S). This time Mandya, the Mysuru region should make BJP win with full majority. Congress and JD(S) are both parivaarvadi (dynastic politics) parties, they are corrupt parties,” Shah said.

Addressing a massive public meeting as part of the ongoing ‘Janasankalpa Yatre’ of the state BJP, he said: ”We have seen administration of both parties. When Congress comes, Karnataka will become Delhi’s ATM and when JD(S) comes, it becomes ATM for a family. Repeatedly, these two parties through corruption have stopped Karnataka’s progress.” Stating that time has come to get free from dynastic politics and corruption, Shah asked people to give BJP an opportunity to form the government with a full majority once, and bring a ”double engine” government in the state.

”In the next five years under the leadership of Modiji, we will take Karnataka much forward in the path of progress,” he said, accusing both Congress and JD(S) of being ”corrupt, communal and also protectors of criminals”.

The BJP has never got complete majority in the 224-member Karnataka assembly, it has formed governments either with the support of the JD(S) or through ”manufactured mandates” by engineering defections from other parties.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel, party’s national General Secretary C T Ravi among other leaders were present at the public meeting.

Highlighting that before 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Karnataka is going for elections, Shah urged people of Mandya and Mysuru region to make BJP win all the seats in their belt, and help it form a government with a clear majority.

By supporting BJP, PM Modi’s hand would be strengthened and it would make the country secure, he said, adding that ”during the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, cases against 1,700 PFI cadres were withdrawn, while BJP under Modi banned PFI and put them all behind bars.” Further alleging that both Congress and JD(S) haven’t done anything for the progress of Mandya and Old Mysuru region, Shah said BJP got the Mysuru-Bengaluru expressway done, doubling of existing railway line and its electrification, and complemented CM Bommai for the reopening of MySugar factory.

Mandya in the Old Mysuru region is a Vokkaliga community-dominated district, largely seen as a bastion of JD(S), where the Congress too is strong, and the BJP is trying to make inroads.

BJP national General Secretary C T Ravi on Wednesday had said the party would be giving special focus to the Old Mysuru region in the run-up to assembly polls, as it has realised that without winning the confidence of people in the region, it cannot get a majority.

The BJP has been making consistent efforts to foray into constituencies or regions where it is not strong, especially in the Old Mysuru region, aimed at reaping political dividends.

In the 2018 polls, the BJP managed to win one seat in Hassan; later in the high-voltage 2019 bypolls, it managed to win the K R Pet seat, its first victory in Mandya district and also won Chikkballapur, another first.

Creating a history of sorts, the party bagged the Sira Assembly segment in Tumakuru district for the first time in the 2020 bypolls.

Reminding that he had begun campaigning for the 2018 assembly polls from Mandya, Shah said the people of Karnataka gave BJP an opportunity to form the government, making it the single largest party in the state.

Later, in 2019 Lok Sabha polls under the leadership of Modi with 52 per cent vote share, Karnataka got 25 out of 28 seats in Karnataka for the BJP.

Alleging that Congress which ruled the country for long of doing injustice to Dalits and Adivasis, Shah claimed credit for making Ram Nath Kovind, a Dalit, and Droupadi Murmu, a tribal, as the President of India.

Pointing out work done for poor, downtrodden and weaker sections of the society and successfully administering two doses of Covid vaccine to a large population, he said the Modi regime on the recommendation of Bommai government has included ‘Betta-Kuruba’ community in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Karnataka.

Also claiming credit for the construction of Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya and accusing Congress for delaying it, he urged the people to reserve tickets to the northern town for January 1, 2024, as the temple would be ready by then. ”Modiji along with Ayodhya, has also worked for the redevelopment of Kedarnath, Badrinath and Kashi,” he said.

Shah also blamed Congress for keeping Article 370 with respect to Jammu and Kashmir for long, and said, ”on August 5, 2019 by abrogating Article 370, Modi has put an end to terrorism.” Listing out various schemes and programmes implemented by the Centre and state BJP governments for the welfare of farmers, the Union Minister also appreciated investment coming into Karnataka and innovative atmosphere created here.