From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Mar 7: Affirming the seriousness of the Congress party’s commitment to fulfil its three major poll promises if it comes to power, Congress opposition leaders in both houses Siddaramaiah and B K Hariprasad as well as KPCC Chief D K Shivakumar have vowed to quit politics if the party does not fulfil its poll promises.

"We are committed to implement our three major promises of Grahajyoti scheme for distributing 2000 each per month to each housewife, 200 units of free power to all domestic households and 10 kg of rice per head per month for all BPL families," they declared while addressing a joint press conference at the patty office in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

Nanjundaswamy, former BJP MLA from Kollegal, Manohar Ainapur, former MLA from Bijapur have quit BJP and joined Congress today. Former Mayor of Mysore and
BSP State General Secretary Purushottam have also joined Congress.

Siddaramaiah stoutly refuted the claim of chief minister Basavaraj Bommai that the previous Congress government headed by him had closed the Lokayukta and also calarified that the Congress government had not brought any amendment to weaken the Lokyukta Act.

"We formed the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) because there were reports that corruption was taking place in the the Lokayukta, and some questioned it and approached the High Court. The court that heard the case ordered that the ACB should be scrapped,’’ he said pointing out that it was the High Court that scrapped the ACB and not the BJP government.

"BJP had promised before the elections to abolish ACB as soon as it comes to power, but even after 3 years of coming to power, ACB has not been abolished," he said claiming that the BJP wanted ACB.

The Congress leader said many BJP-ruled States have both ACB and Lokayukta. "Even though BJP is in power here in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, there are two investigating agencies like ACB and Lokayukta. Why has it not been abolished here? His intention was not to abolish ACB," he said.

On the petition submitted to abolish the ACB, the State Advocate General has defended the formation of ACB by Congress government saying that the formation of ACB by the previous government is correct in the court.

"The State Advocate General has argued in the court that ACB is present in 16 states of the country, not just Karnataka. The stand of the Advocate General is the stand of the Government. Defending ACB in court and lying outside that we have abolished ACB will be self-deception," he said adding Justice Vishwanath Shetty was the Lokayukta during our government.

Siddaramaiah said the nabbing of BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa's son was with bribe money is a proof for those who were asking for documents for government corruption. Over Rs 8 crore of bribe money was found in the house of an MLA's son and how much the whole government could have looted, he asked.

"This case has proved that 40% commission is going on in the state. What other evidence do you need to say that yours is a 40% commission government? If you have any morals you should resign immediately,’’ he told Bommai.

He pointed out that minister K S Eshwarappa resigned after contractor Santosh Patil committed suicide, another contractor wrote to the President seeking euthanasia. Aren't these proofs?,’’ Siddaramaiah asked.

He charged that Bommai government is protecting Virupakshappa. I demand that they be arrested immediately. He should have been arrested on the day he came to resign. He has applied for bail while still in Bangalore. Such a corrupt government should be removed.

"All the leaders who left BJP and joined Congress today have done a very good job. Mainly Dalits should not turn their face towards BJP. They argued that the BJP was never a party that thought about the welfare of Dalits," he said describing Congress party is a party that treats all religions and caste people equally.

Respecting the constitution given by Baba Saheb, it has worked to fulfill its objectives when it got power. BJP and JDS have no respect for our constitution. If we look at the speeches and writings of Golwalkar and Savarkar, it is clear that they had no respect for the Constitution. BJP is a party of rich people, they don't think about the people of the lower community or the development of the country.

"Don't talk about development issues, talk about love jihad,’’ he said quoting State BJP Chief Nalin Kumar Kateel, and said in two Lok Sabha elections, he voted emotionally on the ideas of Hindutva, but he has realized that Hindutva will not work in this election.

"So this time they are going to grab power through money. BJP has tonnes of looted money. For the last 4 years, they have not done any development work, they have just looted," he said.

Congress will win 140 seats: DKS

KPCC Chief Shivakumar said the decision of former BJP MLAs and leaders from other parties to join Congress has further strengthened the party. "A clear picture is emerging in in favour of Congress in the state. According to our earlier survey, there was a report that Congress would win 136 seats in the state. Now, it has crossed the 140 mark," he claimed.

There are only 50 days left for the state elections. After the Gujarat elections, the BJP held a meeting with the officials to hold the elections in the state very hastily and fixed the date. But now every day they are collecting illegal money in a hurry through short term tender.

"BJP national leaders did not come to the state during Covid. They are just coming now to ask for votes. People's suffering and development is not a priority for them. Their priority is delay elections. We are always ready for elections. The Election Commission should fix the election date immediately and stop corruption in the universe. We are discussing to release the list of sitting MLAs in the next few days," he declared.

Shivakumar said: "I congratulate Union Home Minister Amit Shah for admitting that corruption is rampant in the state. A season of change has begun in the state. This is evidenced by the fact that people are pouring in like a flood during the state tour programme of our leaders."