Bagalkot (Karnataka), April 6 Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka said that the BJP will win by a large margin in both Davanagere South and Bagalkote constituencies. He claimed that the Congress was facing problems in both places and alleged that Muslims in Davanagere have indicated they will not vote.
He was speaking to the media at the BJP state office 'Jagannath Bhavan' in Bengaluru on Monday. He remarked that as soon as signs of defeat emerged, the Chief Minister, who had gone to Kerala, rushed to Bagalkot.
He questioned that if the Congress government had truly delivered development and properly implemented its guarantees, it would not be facing such difficulties. “If there was real development, people themselves would come forward and say they would vote for you. But that is not the case,” he said.
He alleged that there has been no development in the state over the past three years and described it as “zero development.”
He accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of turning the state into a debt-ridden one. “Leave aside development, even the guarantees have not been implemented properly. The Anna Bhagya (free rice) scheme has been turned into ‘Kanna Bhagya’ (scheme of loot),” he claimed, adding that people will teach the Congress a lesson for being anti-development.
He further claimed that Congress workers themselves were secretly campaigning in favour of the BJP in both constituencies.
Referring to a statement by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urging voters in Davanagere to support the poor, Ashoka said that the BJP candidate there is poor, and therefore even Siddaramaiah’s remark indirectly supports the BJP.
Responding to a question on the cooking gas issue, he said that the problem is global and not limited to India. He added that in Pakistan, petrol prices have reportedly reached Rs 500.
He criticized Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the gas issue without understanding the global situation.
He also said that despite tensions in the Gulf region, PM Modi ensured that ships could reach India by engaging with Iran.
He pointed out that there are disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and that while ships from other countries are being restricted, Indian vessels have been allowed, which he credited to the efforts of the central government. He alleged that despite this, D.K. Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah are waiting to incite unrest.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa stated, “We must work at the booth level to wipe the tears of the people. Government schemes should reach every citizen.”
Yediyurappa observed that a strong organisation can be built when the experience of seniors combines with the enthusiasm of youth. “Ours is the largest political party in the world,” he said.
“Since its inception in 1980, our party has grown strong and reached great heights due to the blessings of the people and your support,” he noted. He emphasised that people are like god to the party and service to the people is its duty, urging workers to remain humble before them.
He highlighted that the hard work of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the organisational strength of L.K. Advani continue to inspire every party worker. He added that many leaders have contributed to the party’s growth. District leaders, MLAs, former MLAs, public representatives, and party workers were present at the event.