The chief minister was speaking after inducting former JD(S) MLA from Devanahalli, Pilla Munishamappa and his supporters, and some Congress leaders into BJP at the party state headquarters here.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai also expressed confidence that the BJP will increase its strength in north and southern Karnataka regions and will return to power in 2023
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said several leaders from Congress and JD(S), from various districts, who wish public welfare, are in touch with the BJP and will be joining the party in the days to come.
Devanahalli, Pilla Munishamappa and his supporters, and some Congress leaders into BJP at the party state headquarters here.
Pointing out that the joining of Congress and JD(S) leaders and workers from Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara districts will strengthen the party in the region, a BJP release quoting Bommai said, such events of leaders from other parties joining BJP would continue in the months to come.
He also expressed confidence that the BJP will increase its strength in north and southern Karnataka regions and will return to power in 2023.
Meanwhile, stating that Congress will not come to power in Karnataka for 10 more years, state BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel said, thereafter the state will become “Congress free”.
Criticising the Congress party and its ongoing ‘padayatra’ (foot march) demanding for implementation of Mekedatu project, he said there is infighting in the grand old party for the chief minister post (during 2023 elections), between its state President D K Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah.
Bommai on Tuesday said that his government was committed to implement the Mekedatu project across river Cauvery, as he hit out at the opposition Congress for staging ‘padayatra’ (foot march), demanding its quick implementation.
Accusing the Congress of not doing anything for the implementation of the project while in power, he said, it had no moral right to stage a protest now.
“Congress which was unable to implement the project during their tenure are protesting now, they could not even prepare a DPR for the Mekedatu project, now they are demanding immediate implementation of the project. We (BJP) have made progress during our tenure and are committed to implement the Mekedatu project and we will do it,” Bommai said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the Congress has no moral right to protest or criticise the current government on the issue, as they did not do anything for the project during their tenure.
Hitting out at the Congress leaders for targeting the government and police for filing FIR against them, the chief minister said, “Law enforcing agencies have done their job, they (Congress leaders) are overreacting. You (Congress) had booked several cases against the opposition while in power, how many lathi- charges took place, there was a large-scale effort to suppress the opposition.”
“You are a responsible national party…everyone has the right to protest in a democracy, in the same way everyone has to abide by law. This shows to what low the Congress has stooped to for the sake of politics and how desperate they are for power,” he said.
An FIR has been registered against 38 people under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act, for holding the march on Sunday in violation of Covid-19 rules, which names Congress leaders like Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah, among several others.
“What can we do? They (BJP) have filed this out of vindictiveness and intentionally. There should have been a complaint filed against him (KS Eshwarappa) for violating 144, there should have taken strict action, instead they have taken it against us. This is a conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah had said on Monday.
The prevailing Covid norms carry a ban on rallies, dharnas and protests.
The padayatra, which has entered Bengaluru city, on its third day is covering a distance of 15.8 km to reach Jayadeva Junction in the city from near Kengeri.
This is the second leg of the march that ended abruptly in Ramanagara on January 13, when the third wave of the Covid-19 had peaked.
The ‘padayatra 2.0’ with the theme ‘Namma Neeru, Namma Hakku’ (Our water, Our right), that resumed on Sunday, will culminate at the National College Ground in Basavanagudi in Bengaluru on March 3, after covering a total distance of 79.8 kilometres. Further stating that the Congress could have staged a protest at freedom park at the city centre, Bommai said, instead of that they are staging a padayatra for three days in the city, which will create traffic jams across the city.
“You are aware that if there is a traffic jam in one part of Bengaluru it will have its effect across, they (Congress) are aware of it, still they are putting people of the city in trouble, for their political benefit.
“Their padayatra will do no good for Bengaluru,” he added.
The statements come at a time when Congress and BJP are scrambling to find a poll platform for the upcoming Zilla and taluka panchayat polls, Bengaluru city corporation and the 2023 assembly elections.
