If BJP's Venkaiah, Nirmala claim TA and DA, it's no crime, but when we do, it is'

Once hardly known to people in the city and even those who keenly follow political developments, Ramappa B. Thimmapur, a resident of Bengaluru and Congress MLC, suddenly became the topic of hot discussion after his picture appeared all over the newspapers. It was for the right reasons and also for the wrong reasons-he had joined the council of ministers as cabinet minister taking over the excise minister. And he had been accused of  taking TA and DA keeping his real address secret. The opposition BJP has already approached the governor seeking his disqualification along with six other MLCs, who indulged in a similar ‘blunder.’ Mr Thimmapur, in an interview with Deccan Chronicle, spoke about these issues and his ties with the chief minister. Here are excerpts.

Congratulations, you have virtually come out of Van Vaas. How do you feel now?
Ups and downs are part of public life. I think we need not bother much about that. In the last 13 years, there have been so many political developments in the state. But I did not lose hope. Now I have got a chance, this is a big challenge.

Why is it a challenge?
We have very little time to achieve the targets

Are you confident that you can achieve whatever you want to?
I am not new to the ministry. I have worked as a minister in the past. That administrative experience will come in handy now.

You have been given the excise portfolio. Are you happy?
There is nothing like being happy. Portfolio allocation is the prerogative of the chief minister. I will work as best as I can. I have never seen such a wonderful chief minister in my political career. He is a visionary.

In the meantime, an issue has come up, the TA and DA scam in BBMP. Your name figures in the list of accused MLCs, you are tainted now.
(pauses) What? How can I become kalankita (tainted) just because the BJP has made a charge? This is absolute nonsense. Even if the BJP says so, people know me. They will not accept (the charge).

Much before the BJP, it was the BBMP commissioner who gave a report which is in the public domain now. He said you along with the other MLCs violated the rules and took TA and DA. He is a senior IAS officer not having affinity with any political party
I have not seen the report. He did not follow the principle of natural justice. He did not issue a notice, did not call us and ask us for our views on this. If someone gives a report to some or the other officer, how I can become tainted? This is unfair.

One of the charges is: you enrolled here in Bengaluru overnight, violating the rules stipulated by the Election Commission.
I have every right to change my residence from the district to the state capital or otherwise. 

But the report says you claimed TA and DA even after changing your residence to Bengaluru.
See, even after shifting our residence, we as MLCs are entitled to select taluks as ‘nodal taluks’ for development. To attend functions and programmes, we keep going to these taluks and districts. What is wrong in it? How can the BJP raise such issues which have not been controversial for the last 25 years? I have not heard such issues raised by any party in my career. When Venkaiah Naidu or Nirmala Seetharaman were doing it, it was acceptable. When we do it, it is illegal. This double standard can’t be accepted. They need not teach us what is right or wrong when their leaders indulge in such things. I will ask a simple question-what is the need for Venkaiah Naidu to come and enrol here in Bengaluru? Moreover, we all have the right to enrol in one city or shift base to another. They have no right to question that. We have not violated any rules or done something which others did not. I think they are afraid of a debate on this development. That is why BJP leaders are 
raising such silly issues.

Many in the party say Dr G. Parameshwar, the KPCC president was upset with your induction into the cabinet, so he skipped the swearing-in ceremony. 
I will not respond to such speculative questions. I know my party leaders very well. I enjoy a good equation with every leader in the party. I have no rivals or enemies inside my party.

Is it true that even senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge had opposed your induction into the ministry?
Why should I answer such a question? I don’t feel any need to answer imaginary questions.

Moving on, you belong to the SC (left-untouchable) group which largely supports the BJP in Karnataka. Did the chief minister take you in to make sure the SC( left bloc) does not shift entirely to the BJP camp?
(Pauses) I do not know about this ‘left’ and ‘right’ (SC touchable) business. Frankly speaking, I am not bothered about this strategy based on caste calculations. I can speak only about development. I am sure people select candidates and the government they want based on development initiatives.

Historically, the Dalit ( left) vote has been with the BJP.
No, I do not agree. They are with the Congress. I will tell you something, people do not vote keeping history in mind. They see the development schemes and vote.

The Lingayat religion card played by Chief Minister  Siddaramaiah seems to have boomeranged. He tried to divide the Lingayats and get votes. Do you think it will help the party?
(Seemingly irritated) Where did our chief minister try to divide Lingayats? It is false.

He first said emphatically he was for religion status for Lingayats and then changed his tune. Is this not negative politics?
He has never indulged in divisive politics. When he is confident of winning elections based on the development agenda, why would he indulge in any other strategy? I don’t agree with your view. If granting religion status to a caste will ensure victory to a political party in an election, many chief ministers in the past would have done that and won polls. Our CM has done so much work that Lingayats would vote for him with or without religion status.