Congress predicts snap polls

Leaders vow to oust Yeddyurappa-led BJP Government in State

“The state will surely go for mid-term polls in the coming days. The State would plunge into an abyss if the BJP is allowed to come to power again.

The party workers must work towards keeping the BJP at bay and launching the Congress party into power with absolute majority in the Assembly,” Opposition leader in the State Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah said here.

In his address at the “Nada Rakshana - Save Karnataka” rally organised by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee at the Maharaja’s College Grounds here  on Sunday, he aid the Chief Minister was presenting the budget much earlier breaking the decorum owing to fear of losing power when he would depose before court in various cases of corruption.

He ridiculed the CM’s statement on presenting a separate budget for agricultural sector saying: “The meaning of budget is statement of receipts and expenditure. Where is receipt from agriculture?,” he asked. Siddaramaiah took a dig on BJP’s Sadhana Samavesha held at the same time in Bangalore,  stating it was only to divert the attention of people from the Congress party’s big rally against the maladministration of BJP.

He said the Congress lost by-elections in Kadur and Gulbarga because the BJP flexed its financial muscle.

The BJP spent  ` 40 crore on each of these constituencies to corrupt the electorate, added. Siddaramaiah demanded a CBI inquiry into all corruption charges against CM and the Government.

KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar said the Yeddyurappa’s cabinet had the highest number of corrupt ministers. The BJP high command which made a hue and cry about 2G spectrum loss and other corruption charges should take a few lessons UPA Government’s sincere action against the accused. Union Government has ordered a CBI inquiry into 2G scam, CWG irregularities, the Adarsh Housing scam and have axed all the leaders responsible for the mess, he remarked and asked whether BJP National president had the same courage to ask Yeddyurappa to step down? 

On the occasion, Union Minister for Labour and Employment M Mallikarjuna Kharge and Union Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa demanded a CBI probe into the attack on churches in state. Criticising the Justice Somasekara Commission’s report, Kharge asked the state congress leaders to lead a special campaign with effect to the demand.

He accused the state government of misusing the central government funds and failing to extend the programmes to beneficiaries. “Instead, government is using same funds in different names and take credit for them,” he said.

MLC  M V Rajashekaran,  former MP  D K Taradevi Siddhartha, MLAs, MLCs, ZP members, MCC councillors from Congress party and others were present.

Leaders invite flak

A few senior leaders of the Congress party themselves invited  flak from KPCC president for leaving the dais soon after their speech.

Union Ministers Mallikarjuna Kharge and K H Muniyappa, former union minister C K Jaffer Shariff, former KPCC working president D K Shivakumar were those tall leaders of the party who walked out of venue soon after their address.

In his address, Parameshwar said senior leaders should have sat through the rally. “Bhashana Madi horatebittaru. Ivarella Sugar Girakigalu” - they are all diabetic,” he cracked a joke. 

While,  another former KPCC chief Janardhana Poojari, in his speech asked union ministers  about their contribution in strengthening the party in state.

Have you publicised the central schemes and apprised the KPCC leaders about them? Senior leaders at the helm of affairs must guide party’s growth,” he said.