Congress alone can give stable govt, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Ballari: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said the Congress alone can give a stable government unlike the BJP, which, gave multiple chief ministers during its rule in the state.

He alleged that the BJP never came to power on its own and needed horse trading, spending crores of rupees to rule the state.

“The BJP never gave a stable government. From 2008 to 2013, there were three chief ministers. Again from 2019 to 2023, there were two chief ministers,” Siddaramaiah said at the ‘Jana Kalyana Samavesha’ (public welfare meeting) at Sandur in Ballari district.

The public meeting was a thanksgiving event for the voters of Sandur for electing the Congress candidate Annapoorna Tukaram in the assembly bypoll recently.

The chief minister said, “When I became CM in 2013, we had 221 MLAs. Again in 2023, we won 136 seats. We will give a stable government.” Siddaramaiah ruled for the full five-year term from 2013 to 2018.

He alleged that the BJP never came to power with the people’s blessings. It always ruled the state by doing ‘Operation Lotus’. It spent crores of rupees to buy the MLAs.

‘Operation Lotus’ refers to the BJP’s alleged attempt to topple the ruling government through horse-trading.

Siddaramaiah said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi says Na Khaunga, Na Khaane Doonga (Neither shall I indulge in corruption, nor allow others to do it). He should explain where the money came from to buy the MLAs.” He accused the BJP and the JD(S) of trying hard to bring down the Congress government in Karnataka.

The chief minister charged that the opposition BJP and JD(S) have been waiting to see his government’s fall.

According to him, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka and Union Minister and JD(S) second-in-command H D Kumaraswamy are competing with each other to become chief minister, “which would never happen.” The Congress will remain in power for five years as the opposition will not be able to shake them at all, he said.

Referring to the recent MUDA site allotment scam, in which he and his wife are accused, Siddaramaiah said, “It is not possible for you to stain my image. So long as I have the blessings of the people of Karnataka, I cannot be removed.” The chief minister advised the opposition to stop lying to people and making false corruption charges against him.