Chief Minister Siddaramaiah greeted a gathering at Bevinmatti village in Bagalkot on Friday (April 3). Photo: Special arrangement
“BJP leaders are practicing politics of lies and double standards. We should all be wary of them,” said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was addressing a campaign rally for Congress candidate Umesh Meti, in Bevinmatti village of Bagalkot district on Friday, April 3.
“BJP leaders are not honest or trustworthy people. There is not an iota of truth in what they say. They should not be trusted at any cost. They have neither the willingness nor the capacity to fulfill the assurances they give to the people and cannot tolerate other parties doing it. They are unnecessarily criticizing the Congress on meaningless issues,” he said.
Alleging that BJP leaders have no constructive agenda and that their politics is about dividing society on the basis of caste and religion, he said, “BJP leaders are making false allegations against us only because they are afraid of defeat in Bagalkot and Davangere South.”
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that under Congress leadership, Karnataka has become the state with the highest per capita income in the country. “However, the bad policies of the BJP-led NDA government at the center have increased wealth inequality across the country,” he said.
“Karnataka ranks second in the country in terms of tax collection. People in the state are happy with our governance. We will form the government in 2028. BJP cannot stomach it. It is desperate and resorting to unfair tricks,” he said.
He reprimanded BJP for roping in Basanagouda Patil Yatnal for BJP campaign in Bagalkot. “They have to go back to a leader expelled for indiscipline. On one hand they say expulsion but on the other they ask him to come and campaign. This shows the sorry state of the party. They have no idea about discipline,” he said.
He later told reporters that allegations by BJP leaders and Mr. Yatnal that the Congress was practicing minority appeasement were false and baseless. “Our government operates on the basis of equal opportunities for all. The budget is based on the same principle. All communities receive support proportional to their population. Minorities make up 14% of the population. Are they not citizens of this country? They are entitled to a share of welfare and development funds. To refuse such things is tantamount to practicing hate speech and following a communal agenda, and is therefore against the spirit of the constitution.”
Reacting to Union Minister V Somanna’s remark that Mr Siddaramaiah would lose his seat after a month and a half, the Chief Minister said: “Mr Somanna is not the high command of our party to talk about the position of Chief Ministers. He does not have that power. A minister goes and makes such statements because he has no real job in the Union Government. He has no portfolios without fear of him. He has no fear of him. He is losing, not because he is busy.”
Published – 03 Apr 2026 20:11 IST
