Karnataka BJP To Hold Massive Protest On Aug 23 Accusing Siddaramaiah Govt Of 'Corruption'

Announcing the Karnataka BJP protest, veteran leader B S Yediyurappa accused the Siddaramaiah government of "coruption" and claimed that development works have been completely stopped in the southern state.

Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa said on Friday that the Karnataka BJP unit will hold a massive protest in the city on August 23, against the "rampant corruption" of the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, and lack of development work under this dispensation. The announcement came after senior BJP leaders, Bengaluru legislators, and parliamentarians met at Yediyurappa's residence and held discussions. Former chief ministers D V Sadananda Gowda and Basavaraj Bommai were also part of the meeting.

"State government is immersed in corruption. Party (BJP) leaders have discussed this for over two hours on this in detail, and have decided to orgainise a protest on August 23, by gathering about five to six thousand people in Bengaluru to create public awareness about the corruption of this government," Yediyurappa said, as quoted by PTI.

The meeting is important as speculation was rife in the state that a few leaders and sitting MLAs from the opposition -- especially the BJP, who had earlier quit the Congress, causing the collapse of the then Congress-JD(S) coalition government in 2019 -- will be rejoining the party ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

Yediyurappa dismissed the rumour saying no one will quit the party and that the saffron party's leadership will talk to those who are upset and would resolve their issues.

"The transfer business (corruption) is going on every day, money is being collected from officers every month. The government is behaving dictatorially and is harassing and threatening social media users and media," he remarked attacking the Congress government, as per PTI.

He alleged that development works have been completely stopped in the southern state. "After pressure and requests, the government has said they will give Rs 50 lakh to legislators for development, but till now no funds have come," Yediyurappa said, asking CM Siddaramaiah and his Deputy D K Shivakumar to show at least a kilometer of road construction work that is currently happening in the state.

"All works have come to standstill since they came to power, the government is looting the treasury. We were silent all these days to give the new government some time, but with corruption crossing all limits, no development work, and transfer business being rampant, it is inevitable to hold protests," the veteran BJP leader claimed, alleging that the Siddaramiah dispensation has indulged in daylight loot without any fear about the opposition.

Yediyurappa, Bommai Dismiss Rumours Of Karnataka BJP MLAs Looking To Join Congress

On the rumour about legislators and leaders planning to leave BJP, Yediyurappa said, "No one will leave the party, all are with us, if one or two are thinking otherwise for some reasons, we will call and talk to them. I'm confident no one will leave the party."

Yeshwanthpur MLA S T Somashekar, who is said to be among those planning to jump ship to Congress, did not attend today's meeting. Yediyurappa said, "whoever were in the city and were available have come, it was all of a sudden intimated yesterday. We will meet again." 

Earlier, Somashekar on Thursday said that he is not joining the Congress, but expressed unhappiness about the saffron party's inaction against opponents within, working against him in his constituency.

After the Friday meeting, former Karnataka CM and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai also said, "None of the BJP MLAs will leave the party. There are some local issues. We have brought it to the attention of the state president. We will sort everything out. We are all united. The Congress consists of corruption and nepotism. They are telling false stories of defection to hide the fact that their own MLAs had revolted", news agency ANI reported.