The BJP is fighting the Karnataka elections on the agenda of development and not communalism, but is focusing on Hindus as Siddaramaiah is the leader for Muslims, Karnataka BJP MP and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje has told News18.
In an exclusive interview, he said Muslims are confident that “we will rule when Siddaramaiah comes back” and accused the former chief minister of withdrawing cases against the Popular Front of India (PFI) and “freeing thousands of terrorists”. Planted.
Shobha Karandlaje told News18 that for the BJP, “Kamal (lotus) is the chief ministerial face”, and warned that the Congress would use Karnataka “as an ATM” if it wins. He further said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi And former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa will help BJP to come to power.
Amid the Amul controversy in the state, he said that the Nandini brand was the “pride of Karnataka” and that Amul existed only in the online space.
edited excerpts
> Congress feels that it has already won in Karnataka.
Answer: Congress is overconfident. They are fighting among themselves and to hide it they are making such statements. Every day Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar are fighting over ticket distribution as to who will go to which constituency and whose supporters will benefit. MB Patil has also projected himself as the CM candidate and now there is a fight between more than four people in the Congress for the CM’s chair.
> But it is also not clear who is the face of the Chief Minister’s post in BJP?
A: For us ‘Kamal’ (lotus, symbol of BJP) is CM. We are not fighting for leadership or ‘kursi’ (chair). We are fighting to come to power for the development and security of the country. We want every scheme to reach the last citizen. They (Congress) want power in Karnataka to make ATM card for Congress. This happened earlier also. But we will repeat our government in Karnataka like we did in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Tripura recently.
> BJP is being accused of running a communal campaign.
A: We are very clear, we are going on the agenda of development, not communalism. But we are focusing on Hindus… because many Hindus were killed in my own district when Siddaramaiah was the CM. I can’t forget her. Many youths were killed. The parents are suffering. Siddaramaiah withdraws PFI cases in the cabinet. Around 166 cases were withdrawn and 1,700 PFI terrorists were released from jail.
Who is the Muslim leader? Siddaramaiah is a leader for Muslims. They have got so much confidence… that once Siddaramaiah comes back, the rule of Muslims will come back… that ‘we will rule’. Muslims in my village are saying ‘one month more, then we will see’. They are coming on the road when I am showing so much courage to some communal Muslims of my area. It is only because of Siddaramaiah.
Question: There is an allegation of corruption against the BJP in Karnataka?
Answer: Those who talk about corruption are themselves corrupt. Who closed the Lokayukta? It was Siddaramaiah who created the ACB to hide his corruption. We brought back the Lokayukta. Even our leader was booked by Lokayukta, this is an example. We strengthened the Lokayukta. The history of the country is corruption and corruption is Congress.
Q: What is your main agenda you are telling the voters?
Answer: We will come back because of our development agenda. Both BS Yediyurappa and BS Bommai have worked in this direction to gain the trust of the people. Development is possible only with a double engine. The Center is sending so much money under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will spend it wisely? States under opposition keep fighting with Modi. I am in charge of Kerala and I see people saying that they do not get the benefit of the scheme from Modi government and they are not aware of it.
Look at West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh – we don’t want Karnataka to be like this. The state has been defeated many years ago. We are the best state for investment, many infrastructure projects, airports and highways are coming up. Remember when Siddaramaiah was the chief minister? He never attended the meetings called by the Prime Minister. They have no respect for Modi. The development of Karnataka will be affected under Congress rule.
Question: Congress has said that it will bring back the 4% reservation for Muslims which you have abolished.
A: I ask DK Shivakumar that from which category he will remove reservation to give back to Muslims? From Lingayat, Vokkaliga or Scheduled Caste? Let them put it in their manifesto, I challenge them. They did reservation only for vote bank politics and this should not become an example for other states.
Question: How important is the BS Yeddyurappa factor in these elections?
A: People and our workers like it. In all the areas, people are demanding to bring him for campaigning. Age matters for the post of Chief Minister but not for campaigning. At the age of 80, he is asking when can he work and what about the youth workers? They are inspired by him. He is on the Parliamentary Board and is respected at the highest level. He has said that he will travel extensively across Karnataka and bring back our government and work like this till 2024, only to bring back Modi government. Both Modi and Yediyurappa will help him come back to power in Karnataka.
Q: What about Basavaraj Bommai? Doesn’t he have the same charisma?
A: Bommai is the Chief Minister. He has done a good job, he is also a candidate and he will contest the election. We cannot compare leaders; Yediyurappa is Yediyurappa, and he has worked for 50 years.
Q: The Amul issue has become huge and many are saying that it is being imposed on the state at the cost of the Nandini brand.
Answer: Amul is currently online only in Karnataka. Nandini is the pride of Karnataka. Nandini and KMF have grown in our government. In our government farmers are now getting Rs 5 per liter incentive and more have gone for cow and buffalo.
‘We have to grow like Amul’ – this is what Amit Shah said. Right now we are selling milk. Amit Shah said that do not depend only on milk, prepare more items like sweets and milk powder, which have high demand in other parts of the country and do not depend only on Karnataka marketing. He said that you spread your market in other parts of the country – this was the intention of Amit Shah as he is the Cooperation Minister. He wanted to promote Nandini and KMF by saying that they can do more than Amul.
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