Gowda, Kumaraswamy "most opportunistic" politicians: BSY

Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP president B S Yeddyurappa Tuesday accused Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda of being the “most opportunistic” politicians in the country, as he attacked the JDS-Congress government in the state on the farmers’ issues.

Extending his party’s full support to the farmers’ cause by calling for a statewide agitation on Wednesday, Yeddyurappa alleged that Gowda and Kumaraswamy were synonymous with “betrayal”.

Yeddyurappa also hit out at Kumaraswamy for a remark he made against a protesting woman farmer at Belagavi Sunday.

“It is shameful on the part of the chief minister to make a disgraceful remark against a woman farmer. It is also arrogance to call the protesting farmers goondas and dacoits,” Yeddyurappa said.

Describing the chief minister’s remarks against the woman “derogatory”, he lashed out at Kumaraswamy for trying to defend it. He said those in public life should gracefully accept criticisms. Farmers protested the way they did as the chief minister backtracked from his promise, he said.

“Power seems to have gone into the chief minister’s head,” he said, adding that Congress leaders who are supporting Kumaraswamy’s government should think over the CM’s remarks.

“If they have self-respect they should ask the CM to implement the decisions or quit the post,” Yeddyurappa said.

Yeddyurappa said the BJP would stage protest at all taluk and district centres across the state Wednesday to highlight state issues and against Kumaraswamy’s “derogatory” remarks against the woman farmer.