From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Aug 18: Getting ready to launch a blistering attack against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after being ticked by BJP National President Amit Shah for not being "aggressive enough" in cornering the Congress leaders in the State as preparation for the 2018 assembly poll battle, State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa said asserted that he would get all the corrupt deals of the Siddaramaiah and send him to jail.

"I will ensure that all the corrupt deals of Siddaramaiah will be probed and send him to Central jail if my name is Yeddyurappa," declared the State BJP president and alleged that he was "hesitating" to drop Cabinet ministers D K Shivakumar and Ramesh Jarkiholi, who were subjected to IT raids over alleged amassing of disproportionate assets.

In a frontal attack on the Siddaramaiah, who was referred to singularly, Yeddyurappa said Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Amit Shah need to come to pack off the Chief Minister over his several corrupt deals during the last four and half years. "The six and half crore people of Karnataka will send you (Siddaramaiah) home in the next elections," he warned.

"I will not be cowed down even if hundreds of cases are filed against me," he said referring to the ongoing investigation in the denotifications of lands that he had done ten years ago and claimed that it was done to "help the poor."

"Don’t be under the illusion that I can be silenced and will stop my fights if an FIR is lodged by the Anti-Corruption Bureau," he said.

CM denies charge of vendetta politics

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who spoke to reporters at Vijayapur after offering flowers to Krishna river on the Almatti dam brimming with water, made it clear that he never indulged in vendetta politics and would not do so.

Asked about Yeddyurappa’s claims that he (Chief Minister) was indulging in vendetta politics, Siddaramaiah said the people of the State know the truth and also the reasons behind the politically motivated IT raids against Congress leaders merely because the Gujarat MLAs took shelter in a resort in Bengaluru against the poaching attempts of BJP.

"We know what happened in the State when Yeddyurappa was the Chief Minister and who had note counting machines in their houses and who spent weeks in jail in corruption cases," he said without naming the BJP leaders and said neither BJP nor Yeddyurappa will succeed in their games.

Siddaramaiah also claimed that Congress party will come to power with a thumping majority and asserted that both Yeddyurappa or JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy were "day-dreaming" of returning to power.

BJP protests will continue, says BSY

Addressing a protest meeting organised by the State BJP demanding dropping of ministers Shivakumar and Jarkiholi over being subjected to IT raids, Yeddyurappa said the party’s agitation will continue till the ministers were dropped.

Describing Siddaramaiah has the "most corrupt" Chief Minister of Karnataka, he said the Congress government was not bothered about the plight of the people but the Chief Minister was busy in dangling the bait of Cabinet expansion.

He attacked role of Public Works Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa’s son in the illegal sand racket and demanded an answer from the Government regarding the alleged irregularities by Congress MLA Munirathna.

The BJP leader took the Chief Minister to task for questioning Amit Shah on the spending of the Rs 2,900 crore grants released by the Centre and said every citizen has the right to ask such questions. "How can you question our national president?," Yeddyurappa asked. He said the people have not elected you (Siddaramaiah) to "loot" the exchequer and threatened to tour the entire State to ensure the defeat of the ruling Congress party.

Later, speaking to reporters Yeddyurappa said he cannot be silenced by the vendetta politics through the filing of FIR in the land denotifications issue and promised to face such hundreds of cases effectively.

Yeddyurappa promised to reveal corruption scandals involving the Chief Minister and his son at the "appropriate time."

BJP to move EC for disqualification of DKS

BJP Opposition leader in the State Assembly and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said Siddaramaiah was forced by the Central party leaders to induct "tainted" Shivakumar after denying the ministerial berth in the beginning.

"It is now proved by the IT raids that Shivakumar’s involvement in amassing unaccounted wealth. We will move the Election Commission to disqualify DK Shivakumar and Ramesh Jarkiholi as legislators," he warned.

BJP State General Secretary and Udupi-Chkkamagalur MP Shobha Karandlaje alleged that ACB was being misused by the Government. "If the Chief Minister is honest and untainted, Hublot watch scandal and the allegations Dr H C Mahadevappa’s son, the transfer scandal in the police force should be probed by filed FIRs," she said.

BJP national Secretary and State in-charge Muralidhar Rao said the party’s against Siddaramaiah will continue till his arrest. He said the party will not remain silent when BJP and RSS workers were killed.

BJP Opposition leader in the Legislative Council K S Eshwarappa wanted to know the illegal wealth detected during the IT raids in the residences of DK Shivakumar and Ramesh Jarkiholi. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will shortly take over the probe and jail Shivakumar, he warned.

Former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashok, MLAs CT Ravi, Aravind Limbavali and former State party chief Prahlad Joshi, former Minister Govind Karjol and other leaders participated in the protest meeting.

State Cabinet Expansion soon, says CM

The Chief Minister, who spoke to reporters in Vijayapura, said the much-awaited expansion of the State cabinet will take place soon as he has discussed the issue with the Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

He also said the State Government was committed to complete all the irrigation projects in the Krishna basin and will not spare any efforts to protect the interests of the State in Krishna or Cauvery disputes.

Parameshwara says BSY day-dreaming of power

KPCC President Dr G Parameshwara, while speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, challenged Yeddyurappa and other BJP leaders to come out with documents and proofs regarding the alleged corruption in the Government or any ministers. "The State Government will give a befitting reply. We will not shy away from facing any charges or answering questions," he said wondering why BJP was not showing the same enthusiasm in answering charges against the party governments in different states.

"Let them come out with truth and proof. There is no point in making blind and unfounded allegations or accusations without providing any evidence," he said ridiculing Yeddyurappa was floating in the illusion of having already become the Chief Minister.

Dr Parameshwara said the Congress party will also launch counter protests against BJP. "We know how to fight and face the false charges of BJP. The IT Department is under the control of the BJP at the Centre and they can launch raids against anybody. We also know that party’s MP G M Siddeshwar was also subjected to IT raids after Modi became Prime Minister. Why are they not talking about it? Are all BJP leaders clean and non-corrupt?," he asked.

He said the seven rebel JD(S) legislators, who had been suspended from the party, would be joining the party unconditionally. They have already met Rahul Gandhi, he said.