New Delhi: As former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress state unit chief DK Shivakumar are being seen as the frontrunners in the chief ministerial race ahead of the state elections, the Leader of Opposition on Friday said his relation with Shivakumar are cordial and even though differences exist in a democracy, they are not detrimental to the interests of the party.
“My relationship with DK Shivakumar is cordial. There are no differences between us. Of course, differences exist in democracy but it is not detrimental to the interests of the party, news agency ANI quoted Siddaramaiah as saying.
Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Siddaramaiah said CM Bommai miserably failed to protect the interest of Kannadigas and he has no business to continue holding the top post. Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over Karnataka-Maharashtra border disputes, he said they are coming to the poll-bound state only to seek votes and despite claiming its a “double-engine government”, Maharashtra keeps interfering with the freedom of the southern state.
Taking further potshots at the saffron party for allegedly discriminating people on the basis of religion, Siddaramaiah said, “BJP is a sectarian party. Ours is a secular party. There can't be any disparity among the people of Karnataka. I treat all human beings equally whether they belong to Hindu, Muslim, Christian, or any other community or religion, I treat them all equally.”
His remarks come a day after Congress MP Randeep Surjewala lashed out at PM Modi and the Union Home Minister over allegedly triggering border dispute.
“By forcibly implementing the scheme of Maharashtra in the villages of Karnataka, the BJP is deliberately insulting the federal structure by triggering conflicts. All the issues capitalised by the BJP, such as Hindu-Muslim clash, caste clash, partition conspiracy have failed. So now, they are conspiring to make the border areas engage in clashes. Congress will never accept it,” Surjewala had said.
READ | 'Don't Come To Karnataka Till...': Randeep Surjewala Slams PM Modi, Amit Shah Over Border Dispute
Talking about Congress’ winning prospects in the upcoming polls, he said, “We are expecting more than 130 seats this time and Congress party will come to power with a comfortable majority on its own. People have decided to change the government.”
“I am contesting from Varuna (assembly constituency) as it has been cleared by the party's high command. It's not that I am interested to contest but Kolar people want me to contest from there,” the former chief minister added.