Congress in decline, says Bommai on PayCM campaign

The Congress launched the PayCM campaign and started putting up posters on public walls accusing the K'taka govt of corruption

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said the Congress is on the PayCM campaign and it is something people have seen enough. "Let the Congress party continue the PayCM campaign and we will welcome it. The decline of the Congress has started," the Chief Minister told reporters here.

According to him, there are enough scams on the Congress's platter, yet the party launched the campaign. "What's in it (PayCM)? Any stuff in it? It is nothing but a campaign which people have seen enough of. This can be done on any app and the internet, and it is known even to the children. It is baseless," he said.

To a query whether the campaign had been launched for keeping a Lingayat as Chief Minister, Bommai said some people may have spoken about it in a fit of anger. He slammed the Congress leaders by saying they were so selfish that they were ready to sacrifice the state's interests and tarnish its image and reputation to come back to power.

Also Read | PayCM row: K'taka CM Bommai says Congress is playing dirty politics

On the increased individual criticisms of state politics, Bommai said there was ample opportunity for everyone to discuss in the Legislative Assembly but they did not have the concrete material with them to discuss it there. So, the Congress has resorted to a low-level campaign, he said.

Replying to a question whether the PayCM campaign was launched in view of Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' (Unite India March) entering Karnataka, Bommai said he was not aware and that it must be asked of those who do dirty politics. "Rahul Gandhi will come and go, but whichever constituencies he had visited in the previous election, the lotus (BJP symbol) had bloomed," Bommai said.

The Congress launched the PayCM campaign and started putting up posters on public walls in various parts of the state accusing the present dispensation of indulging in corruption. The ruling BJP, too, is mulling over a tech-based offensive against the Congress, sources in the saffron party said.