Karnataka BJP to protest against Congress govt on Aug 23, accuses it of rampant corruption

Bengaluru: The Karnataka BJP unit has decided to hold a massive protest in the city on August 23, against the ”rampant corruption” of the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, and lack of development work under this administration, veteran party leader and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Friday.

Several senior BJP leaders, Bengaluru legislators and MPs today met at Yediyurappa’s residence and held discussions. Former CMs D V Sadananda Gowda and Basavaraj Bommai were also part of the meeting.

The meeting gains significance, amid speculation in political and media circles in the state that few leaders and sitting MLAs from the opposition — especially the BJP, who had earlier quit the Congress, leading to the collapse of the then Congress-JD(S) coalition government in 2019 — will be rejoining the party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Yediyurappa however expressed confidence that no one will quit the party and that the leadership will talk to those who are upset and would resolve their issues. ”State government is immersed in corruption. Party (BJP) leaders have discussed this for over two hours on this in detail, and have decided to orgainise a protest on August 23, by gathering about five to six thousand people in Bengaluru to create public awareness about the corruption of this government,” he said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, ”the transfer business (corruption) is going on every day, money is being collected from officers every month. The government is behaving dictatorially and is harassing and threatening social media users and media.”

Development works have been completely stopped. After pressure and requests, the government has said they will give Rs 50 lakh to legislators for development, but till now no funds have come, Yediyurappa said and asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to show at least a kilometer of road construction work that is currently happening in the state.

”All works have come to standstill since they came to power, the government is looting the treasury. We were silent all these days to give the new government some time, but with corruption crossing all limits, no development work, and transfer business being rampant, it is inevitable to hold protests,” he said, adding that the government has indulged in daylight loot without any fear about opposition.

Responding to a question on some legislators and leaders planning to leave BJP, Yediyurappa said, ”No one will leave the party, all are with us, if one or two are thinking otherwise for some reasons, we will call and talk to them. I’m confident no one will leave the party.”

Asked about party MLA from Yeshwanthpur, S T Somashekar, who is said to be one among those planning to switch sides to Congress, not attending today’s meeting, he said, ”whoever were in the city and were available have come, it was all of a sudden intimated yesterday. We will meet again.”

Amid speculation that he would return to the Congress, Somashekar on Thursday had said that he is not joining the party, but expressed unhappiness about the saffron party’s inaction against opponents within, working against him in his constituency.