The Hindu

TUNGABHADRA DAM, Nov 5: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa mounted a scathing attack on the Opposition, especially the Congress, for making baseless allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Reacting sharply to the reported statements made by M. Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, that money and power had been misused by the BJP to win the just concluded elections for three seats to the Legislative Council from the three local bodies constituencies (zilla, taluk and grama panchayats), Yediyurappa was of the opinion that by making such baseless statements, the Congress leader was insulting the voters in a democratic setup.

“It is an open secret that the strength of the BJP in the local bodies constituencies was less than that of the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular). But in the just concluded elections to the Legislative Council, the BJP candidates won with a big margin, indicating that the voters from the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) had voted the BJP. The Opposition should accept the verdict of the voters and avoid making unnecessary baseless statement, otherwise it would amount to insulting the voters and elected representatives.”

Stating that the Congress owed an apology to the voters failing which he apprehended that there were all the chances of these elected representatives of the local bodies raising a protest against that party leaders.

Yeddyurappa reiterated that the people had begun tilting towards the BJP after seeing the preferences given to the development programmes and pro-people schemes announced soon after coming to power in the State.

Yeddyurappa criticised the Congress for not extending its cooperation for the development of the State but was talking lightly about the party in power.

“Even now I appeal to the Opposition to cooperate with the Government to take up development of the State and welfare of the people. I appeal to the Opposition to stop talking lightly about others,” he said. He would be inviting the Opposition to discuss taking a delegation seeking special status for Hyderabad-Karnataka region under Article 371 and wanted them to cooperate.