Days after the Karnataka unit of Congress put up ‘PayCM’ posters throughout Bengaluru, with a QR code and chief minister Basavaraj Bommai’s photograph with the message “40% accepted right here”, a reference to allegations that contractors need to pay 40% fee to get contracts, the Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP) on Sunday gave the corruption marketing campaign a caste spin.
The BJP claimed that the opposition was focusing on the chief minister as a result of he’s from the dominant Lingayat neighborhood.
“This Congress get together has all the time accomplished the identical factor even when Veerendra Patil was the chief minister. Whoever provides good administration, particularly if they’re from the influential Lingayat neighborhood, they attempt to drag them down,” Dr Ok Sudhakar, Karnataka’s minister for well being, household welfare and medical schooling, stated.
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“They (Congress) have focused them (Lingayats) and all the time do that. They all the time goal main communities. This isn’t the primary time. They didn’t spare the then chief minister Kengal Hanumanthiah? Whoever from main communities are there, that is the Congress’ fixed strategy (in direction of them),” he added.
The statements come at a time when the Congress has intensified its marketing campaign in opposition to corruption allegations in opposition to the Bommai authorities.
Bommai is from the influential Lingayat neighborhood and Sudhkar’s insinuation of the Congress focusing on this caste group, believed to account for practically 17% of the state’s voters, has added a brand new paradigm to the allegations.
Caste is without doubt one of the largest elements affecting Karnataka’s political spectrum.
The BJP is believed to be backed by the Lingayats, the Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) reportedly enjoys the assist of the Vokkaligas and the Congress is reliant on backward lessons, minorities and Dalits.
The chief minister, nevertheless, distanced himself from the well being minister’s statements.
Additionally Learn| Congress places up ‘PayCM’ posters at BJP’s get together workplace close to Bengaluru
“I’m not related to that (statements). When such campaigns occur, a number of individuals might need gotten offended however I’m not related to that,” Bommai stated, steering away from the controversy.
The Congress, nevertheless, attacked the BJP, stating that it was the saffron get together who gave it a caste spin.
Siddaramaiah, the previous chief minister and chief of the opposition, stated that the state contractors’ affiliation had raised the difficulty of fee or bribe over a 12 months in the past.
“It has been happening for the final one 12 months and we tried to boost the difficulty. How does caste are available? Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stated that Siddaramaiah’s authorities works on 10% fee. What proof did they’ve? To cover their very own errors, they’re linking it to caste. Basavaraj Bommai is the chief minister. They’ve additionally launched a ebook about me (on alleged corruption scandals). Ought to I say that they’re doing this as a result of I’m a Kuruba,” Siddaramaiah stated.
He added that it was the BJP that had insulted and eliminated BS Yediyurappa, probably the most distinguished Lingayat chief from energy and despatched him to jail.
“Allow them to (BJP) introspect on how they’ve handled their very own Lingayat leaders. I’m saying this as a pacesetter of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat neighborhood. In 2012, then chief minister BS Yediyurappa, you (BJP) compelled him to step down as chief minister after which despatched him to jail. Was it not the BJP who did this? In 2020 (2019), regardless of not having a majority, they strived to type a authorities and after that. They stated that he’s now outdated, made him cry after which compelled him to resign. That day the BJP didn’t see how the Veerashaiva-Lingayat neighborhood was not insulted. They need to reply this,” Eshwar Khandre, the working president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee stated on Sunday.