Davanagere, March 31 (IANS) Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party has released the party’s manifesto for the Davanagere South bye-election on Tuesday. Senior party leader and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka, after releasing the manifesto, appealed to voters to support the Bharatiya Janata Party in order to “oust the corrupt and destructive Congress government” and “overthrow a bribe-driven administration.”
Speaking on the occasion, he accused Congress of betraying minorities in the constituency and expressed confidence that their votes would go to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
He added that the Bharatiya Janata Party has identified a Dalit leader and given the ticket to Srinivas T. Daskariyappa, expressing confidence that the candidate would work like a son of the soil.
Ashoka alleged that Congress workers had hoped that, apart from one family, an ordinary party worker would be given the ticket in this by-election, but those hopes were dashed.
“Backward classes, Dalits, and minorities were not given the ticket. Muslims were not accommodated. Even when late Shamanur was around, it was said that minorities would be given a ticket. Now minorities themselves are angered,” he said.
He further claimed that by once again giving the ticket to the Shamanur family, others would not get an opportunity for at least a generation or two. “Only if Congress loses here will minorities get a chance. Members of the Shamanur family are already ministers and Members of Parliament, and now the son has been given a ticket. The family wants power, but people want development,” he said.
Ashoka also targeted Congress leadership, stating that Samarth is D.K. Shivakumar’s candidate, while Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan has “left the field and gone to Kerala.” He mocked the situation, saying, “There is a star campaigner there, but here there is no star, only ‘Gabbar Singh’.”
Minister Zameer is reportedly miffed with the statements made by Minister S.S. Mallikarjun, father of candidate Samarth. At the time of ticket distribution, Mallikarjun had strongly objected to Zameer’s efforts to secure a ticket for a Muslim candidate. He had questioned who Zameer was and asked him to confine himself to Bengaluru. Later, during the campaign, Mallikarjun stated that it would be better if Zameer did not participate in the campaigning.
Ashoka urged voters to elect the Bharatiya Janata Party to ensure comprehensive development of the constituency. “If one family continues to hold power in the South constituency, arrogance will increase and they will not respond to people’s concerns. Even their way of speaking will change. Reject this authoritarianism and support the Bharatiya Janata Party,” he said.
Ashoka said priority would be given to improving connectivity, drinking water supply, drainage systems, sanitation, urban management, and education in the constituency.
Criticising the state government, Ashoka said that neither in the constituency nor in the state has Congress undertaken any development work. “Not a single foundation stone has been laid. Siddaramaiah has become ‘Saalada Ramaiah’ (one who lives on debt). He is unmatched in borrowing. From late Chief Minister K.C. Reddy to Basavaraj Bommai, the total debt accounted for 40 per cent, but Siddaramaiah alone has taken 60 per cent,” he alleged.
He also took a dig at the Chief Minister, accusing him of abandoning socialist principles. “Despite presenting a record budget, Karnataka’s economy is in the intensive care unit. He has crossed financial discipline and is sustaining it through ‘magic’. Even the funds for the guarantee schemes have not been properly disbursed,” he claimed.
Ashoka questioned how Congress could seek votes in Davanagere and Bagalkot despite these issues.
“They blame the Centre for everything. This is a ‘PhonePe government’, a bribe-taking government. When the Bharatiya Janata Party was in power, Siddaramaiah said there was no development, but Congress had not built even a single bus stand. There are no buses, teacher recruitment has not taken place, and Kannada schools are shutting down,” he alleged.
–IANS
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