Karnataka   

‘Congress, JD(S) in a secret pact to stem BJP’s growth’

Garnering support: The former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa addressing an election rally at Gonicoppa in Virajpet constituency on Saturday.

GONICOPPA: The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), both adversaries of the Bharatiya Janata Party, have entered into a secret pact to stem the rise of the party in the State, the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa alleged here on Saturday.

He was addressing an election rally here, seeking votes for the party candidate for Virajpet constituency K.G. Bopaiah.

The JD(S) had tacitly supported the candidature of another former Chief Minister S. Bangarappa from Shikaripur constituency in Shimoga with the aim of defeating him, Mr. Yeddyurappa said and added that the BJP would, however, defeat all clandestine designs of its political foes.

Calling the JD(S) a betrayer, Mr. Yeddyurappa said if he had agreed to the conditions of that party during the coalition regime, he could have clung to power. He said that he did not endorse the views of the JD(S) in the interest of the people of the State. The Congress and the JD(S) wanted to undo all good work of the BJP, he alleged.

He then spoke about the decisions taken by the previous government to ban arrack and lottery. The BJP would bring in revolutionary changes after coming to power in the State, he said.

Promises made in the BJP manifesto such as loans to farmers in both nationalised and cooperative banks at three per cent interest, extending the Bhagyalakshmi scheme to five lakh girl children, rice at Rs. 2 a kg and special stress on enhancing power generation would be fulfilled by the party in the next five years, he said.

The BJP would solve all problems of Kodagu such as the “Bane” land and tree rights within one month of coming to power, he said. Industrial units would be set up in the taluk centres of the district.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said that his government had released Rs. 5 crore to the Sainik School at Kudige in Kodagu, established an engineering college in Kushalnagar and had planed to set up a medical college. The government had earmarked Rs. 150 crore for promoting tourism in the State, he said.

Mr. Yeddyurappa threatened to lodge a complaint with the Election Commission against Congress leaders M. Veerappa Moily and B. Janardhana Poojary for their alleged statements that the BJP was responsible for “stealing” the original idol and “looting” the wealth of the Ram temple at Ayodhya. This had hurt the sentiments of scores of devotees of Ram, he said.

The BJP would not resort to use influence of money, muscle and caste, like the Congress, to woo voters, Mr. Yeddyurappa said and exuded confidence that the party would win in more than 50 constituencies of the 89 going to the polls in the first phase.

Earlier, Mr. Yeddyurappa was received at the at the Cauvery College grounds helipad by Mr. Bopaiah, president of the Kodagu BJP unit M.P. Sunil Subramani and local leaders.

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