Mysuru, 19 July

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and AICC President Malikarjun Kharge inaugurated a slew of development works worth Rs 2,578 crores in Mysuru. The massive ‘Sadhana Samavesha’ event on Saturday attracted thousands of supporters, coming nearly a year after BJP-JD(S) padayatra in the city, when Siddaramaiah was embroiled in the MUDA scam.

Speaking at Maharaja's College Grounds, Siddaramaiah, said the convention was not to show the strength of his government, but to showcase his achievements to public and Opposition parties.

“Let the BJP and JD(S) explain their contributions during their tenure to the people of Mysore instead of making allegations against the Congress government with jaundiced eyes,” he said. He added that the number of JD(S) members have steadily declined after he quit the party.

He challenged the Opposition parties to a debate.

"The BJP and JD(S) make false allegations. I have said several times that for you to know the truth and to stop lying or misleading people, all of you should come to one stage. If the BJP and JD(S) leaders come to one stage, I'm ready to come. Let's debate what we have done and what you have done," Siddaramaiah said.

Siddaramaiah attacked State BJP MPs in the Centre like Union Ministers HD Kumaraswamy, Prahlad Joshi and former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai for not raising their voice before the Union government over the alleged injustice in the allocation of funds.

Kharge, meanwhile, said that the RSS was “murdering” the Constitution.

"BJP and RSS are talking about amending or rewriting the Constitution. If you (people) allow them to change the Constitution, you will not have any rights," Kharge said.

"Modi, you bowed to the Constitution before entering the Parliament, but today (you are) murdering the same Constitution," he added.

Kharge lauded Siddaramaiah, ministers, legislators and party workers for their "collective leadership" in implementing the five guarantee schemes. "In my Congress party there are people who perform, while in Modi's BJP, people only speak or criticise."

Kharge refuted claims that the State government was "bankrupt" and asked, "If the government was bankrupt would it have given Rs 50 crore to each MLA for developmental work in their constituencies?"

Kharge added that the Chief Minister had a special love for his home district, which is why he sanctioned the funds.

Urging the Modi government at the Centre to release State’s share of funds, Kharge said, "Give us our money, it is not your money, it is our money paid by us in the form of taxes/GST."

Shivakumar, in his speech, said the BJP was copying the Congress’ guarantee schemes in other states.

“The BJP which criticised us for implementing guarantee schemes in Karnataka is now copying our schemes in other states. Congress government’s development works are visible to the people in the state. Criticisms die but good work remains forever,” he said. “Everyone in BJP, including the Prime Minister, said that the State would go bankrupt if the guarantee schemes were implemented. Yet, the BJP went to the extent of announcing its guarantee schemes even before the Congress party did so during elections in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi and Haryana. It is now copying our schemes in Bihar too”.

“We don’t do politics on emotions but our politics is about livelihood,” he quipped.

-Salar News with Agencies