Will make Karnataka state BJP-mukt: CM Siddaramaiah

DAVANGERE: The Siddaramaiah government marked two years in office with a mega rally dubbed the Sarvodaya Samavesha in the political hot-bed of Davanagere, on Saturday, a fiefdom of Congress satrap Shamanur Shivashankarappa, and a Lingayat, Backward Class heartland.   

Flanked by Congress heavyweights Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mallikarjun Kharge by his side, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah,  speaking at the Bapuji MBA College grounds, hit out at the BJP for their repeated statements that they would make the state Congress-free. “Karnataka will be made BJP-free with the blessings of people of the state,” he vowed to the one lakh strong audience.

“BJP leaders have been repeatedly giving statements that the state will be made Congress-free. They can never do so. The party workers, admirers and the people of the state won’t allow it”, the CM said, adding that neither the BJP nor JD(S) can stage a comeback, as “the people have already rejected them on seeing their poor administration and rampant corruption.”

The rains played a spoiler with many leaders cutting short their speeches and the crowds melting away when the skies opened up.