JD(S) fielding Muslim candidates to help BJP during bypolls: Congress

Senior Muslim leaders from Congress questioned the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) poll strategy of fielding Muslim candidates only during the bypolls.

Speaking to media persons here on Sunday former minister U T Khader, MLA Rizwan Arshad and MLC Naseer Ahmed charged the JD(S) had been fielding ‘minority candidates’ only during the bypolls to ensure a cut in vote share of the Congress and help the BJP win elections.

“Even during the Basavakalyana bypolls, the JD(S) had fielded a Muslim candidate. This resulted in the defeat of the Congress candidate by just 10,000 votes, the same number of votes that JD(S) candidate had secured. The JD(S) would never field a Muslim candidate from Hassan, Ramanagara and Channapatna, though there is a sizeable number of Muslim voters in these constituencies,” said Naseer.

Also Read | Siddaramaiah questions JD(S)' intention behind fielding Muslim candidates for bypolls

Responding to charges of former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy against Leader of Opposition in Assembly Siddaramaiah that the Congress leader has been ‘terminating’ Muslim leaders in the Congress, they said, Kumaraswamy should think twice before making such baseless allegations. “Siddaramaiah has helped several Muslim leaders become ministers, MLAs and MLCs. What has Kumaraswamy done for Muslims? During his coalition government he did not give minister post to even a single Muslim candidate,” they said and added the JD(S) leader should not use minorities sentiments to settle his scores with Siddaramaiah.

“This must be happening only in Karnataka that a leader of an opposition party criticising leader from another opposition party while maintaining silence on the ruling party,” said Khader and questioned Kumaraswamy’s silence on farmers’ ‘murder’ in Uttar Pradesh. The JD(S) claims itself to be a party of farmers; yet, the party leaders have not expressed their anguish against the killing of farmers in UP. the JD(S) is also not questioning the state government on fuel prices or the hike in prices of essential commodities, he said.

Rizwan asked the JD(S) to make it clear if they are in alliance with BJP in the state, as the party has been secretly protecting the BJP government on all controversial issues including Cow Slaughter Bill and Chanakya University land row.

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