Congress targeting RSS only to appease minorities: Bommai

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the Congress has been targeting the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) only to allegedly appease the minorities.

“In the by-polls, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress are not getting any other topic. Hence, they are dragging RSS into the byelection campaign. They are commenting on RSS with a hope that they will get the votes of the minorities but they will never succeed in their efforts,” Bommai said in village Naregalla in the bypoll-bound Hanagal Assembly constituency.

The Chief Minister was here to campaign for the BJP candidate Shivaraj Sajjanar who has a direct fight with Srinivas Mane of Congress and Niyaz Sheikh of the JD(S).

Replying to query on Congress leaders, especially Siddaramaiah, making allegations against him and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Bommai said he would refrain from commenting on the statements because they were too petty for him to respond.

“Their trifling statements will not help them win in Sindagi and Hanagal Assembly by-polls. People of Hanagal have trust in us (BJP). I am confident that the people of Hanagal constituency will elect Shivaraj Sajjan with a huge victory margin,” Bommai said.

Bommai refused to also react to former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamys comments on the RSS.