Siddaramaiah playing with fire, says BJP after Cabinet recommends religion tag for Lingayats

Agencies
March 19, 2018

The BJP on Monday slammed the Karnataka government for its decision to recommend separate religion status for Lingayats, accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of "playing with fire for vote back politics".

Party general secretary in-charge of Karnataka P Muralidhar Rao accused the state's ruling Congress of practising a "divide and rule" policy.

"Congress carrying 'Divide and Rule' legacy of Britishers in India. Siddaramaiah ji is playing with fire for vote bank politics. Why has Congress done this before elections? Why haven't they done it 4 years back?" he said in a tweet.

In a significant move, the Congress government in poll-bound Karnataka today decided to recommend to the Centre granting religious minority tag to the numerically strong and politically influential Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat communities.

BJP chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa hails from the community and the government's decision is being seen by the saffron party as an attempt by the Congress to divide Lingayat voters, who strongly backed him have in the past polls.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 10,2024

HDKSidd.jpg

Bengaluru, Mar 10: JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday took a dig at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah alleging that he was behaving like the Roman emperor Nero at a time when the people of the state are suffering from drought.

Siddaramaiah government seems to be making a mockery of the drought situation in the state and the sufferings of the people, the former Chief Minister said, as he accused it of being immersed in "campaign fairs" by holding conventions using taxpayers money.

"There is a drought, unheard of in the history of the state. Water scarcity has worsened. People and cattle are suffering to get water. Despite this situation, the Congress government is spending crores of rupees of taxpayers money into guarantee conventions. Shame," Kumaraswamy said in a statement.

"Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Siddaramaiah you are our Nero. Zero for the state. You are not worried about the people, you are only worried about the election," he said, adding that the people of the state would ensure that this "election worry" becomes detrimental to the Congress party and its government.

The ruling Congress, banking on its implementation of five 'guarantee' schemes to garner votes in the Lok Sabha polls in the state, is holding a series of 'Guarantee Samaveshas (conventions)'. One such meeting is being held in Mandya on Sunday.

Alleging that the government does not have Rs 2,000 to give to each drought-affected farmer, but there is enough money to hold guarantee conventions, the state JD(S) chief asked, "What kind of Siddanomics (term earlier coined to describe Siddaramaiah's approach towards the state finances) is this, Mr Siddaramaiah?"

Questioning the many "thousands of crores" that have allegedly been spent on these guarantee conventions and advertising in almost a year, he urged the government to be accountable to the people.

"If necessary, issue a White Paper on the amount spent for propaganda on guarantee schemes and conventions," he said, as he insisted that people should know the truth.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 17,2024

gowdas.jpg

Bengaluru: The Vokkaliga heartland of the old Mysuru region consisting of several southern districts will be the testing ground for the recently forged BJP-JD(S) alliance in Karnataka in the Lok Sabha polls.

The ruling Congress will now look to consolidate its gains that it made in the assembly elections in May last year when it made inroads into the strongholds of the regional party headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda in these districts.

In the 2019 Pariamentary elections, the Congress and JD(S) fought together but secured only one seat each in the state. The BJP bagged 25 out of the total 28 Lok Sabha seats.

The Congress and JD(S) win, in fact, came in the old Mysuru region -- Bangalore Rural and Hassan, respectively, while Mandya seat went to an independent backed by the BJP.

This time, the JD(S) has an alliance with BJP. According to sources, the JD(S) is likely to be alloted Hassan, Mandya and Kolar seats in the region, from where Deve Gowda's party draws its strength from in Karnataka.

The JD(S) is now looking to bounce back after the drubbing it received in the May assembly polls.

The Congress and JD(S) are considered to be traditional rivals in the region, where the BJP has also been improving its vote-share.

The BJP-JD(S) alliance hopes to counter the Congress' surge in the region, determined to consolidate Vokkaliga votes in their favour and banking on the Modi charisma. Both parties also hope to gain from each other with this alliance.

The Congress is hoping to further its prospects and continue its dominance in the region, with the help of its strong local leadership and riding on its five guarantee schemes.

Both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress state President D K Shivakumar, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister come from this region, and so does JD(S) patriarch Deve Gowda and his son H D Kumaraswamy, a former CM and that party's state President.

According to a political analyst, 'coordination among local leaders and transfer of votes between the parties are going to be key for the BJP-JD(S) alliance to click.' Lack of trust between sizeable workers and leaders of both parties on the ground had proved to be counterproductive for Congress and JD(S) combine in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, resulting in their rout and helping the BJP.

Both Congress and BJP have announced candidates for some seats in the region for the 2024 polls.

The Congress has re-nominated D K Suresh, brother of Shivakumar, from Bangalore Rural.

Interestingly, the BJP has fielded the scion of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar from Mysore and noted cardiac surgeon and Deve Gowda's son-in-law, Dr C N Manjunath, from Bangalore Rural.

In Karnataka, the Lok Sabha elections will be held in two phases on April 26 and May 7.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 12,2024

train.jpg

Mangaluru, Mar 12: The PM today virtually flagged off the extended service of Mangaluru Central and Thiruvananthapuram Central Vande Bharat Express through video conferencing. Though, the train does not operate service on Tuesdays, there was a special service on Tuesday from Mangaluru to Thiruvananthapuram, after the official inauguration in the morning at 9.15.

Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyasa Kamath were present among others at the Mangaluru Central Railway Station during the virtual event. 

Palakkad division has 24 One Station One Product (OSOP) stalls all over the division, and a Jan Aushadhi Medical Store at Palakkad Junction railway station. Functions are being organised at Palakkad Junction, Tirur, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasaragod, and Mangaluru Central, with the presence of public representatives, prominent personalities, and the public.

In Palakkad division, OSOP stalls are functioning at 24 stations, with an average earning of Rs13 lakh per month. OSOP stalls are functioning in Pollachi, Palakkad, Shoranur, Ottappalam, Angadipuram, Nilambur, Pattambi, Tirur, Parappanangadi, Kuttipuram, Kozhikode, Koyilandi, Badagara, Tellichery, Kannur, Payyanur, Kanhangad, Kasaragod, Mangalore Central and Mangalore Junction stations.

The prominent products sold are honey, chocolate, millet, dry fruit, Kerala jute, eco-friendly products, chocolate, hill product, aloe vera gel, herbal powders, bamboo brush, neem comb, mango squash, juice, jam, pickle, rice, millets, coconut oil, saphalam cashew, peanut, pistachio, unniyappam, almond, jeeva honey, ghee, value-addition from jackfruit, Madhusree honey, Kammadi forest honey, value addition from rice, curry powder and karipetti/ palm jaggery.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.