Are you an astrologer? asks Karnataka CM to Yeddyurappa

Belagavi: A day after former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa threatened the Congress party that he would reveal scandals in which two to three cabinet ministers were involved that could even put the Congress government in a crisis, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah  hit back at him asking whether he was an astrologer to predict the future of the Congress party. He suggested that Yeddyurappa focus on his party's affairs as already, the BJP was in a mess due to infighting.

After the launch of developmental projects at Basavanabagewadi, near Vijayapura on Wednesday, the CM rubbished the statements of Yeddyurappa asking who was he to predict the fate of the Congress party and said, “Yeddyurappa should know that the BJP which was voted to power in the state did nothing for development in the past. The BJP leaders indulged in rampant corruption besides fighting among themselves throughout their term in office. Only because the party did nothing for the state's welfare, it lost the next election,” he said recalling the spate of scandals in which BJP leaders indulged during their rule.

Commenting on the Nanjangud byelection, the CM said the process to finalise the party's candidate was not over and the high command would take a final decision. Responding to a query, he said, the name of Druvanarayan as the Congress party's candidate may be doing the rounds, but the party is yet to decide on it. I don't know who is spreading a rumour that he is our party's candidate.''

The CM said, the name of Druvanarayan was certainly being discussed by top party leaders but it remains to be seen who would be fielded from Nanjangud.

Gundu Rao: Why is BSY giving out secret info?
Strongly rebutting BJP state president, B.S. Yeddyurappa’s charges against an “unnamed minister” in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s cabinet, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president, Dinesh Gundu Rao on Wednesday demanded that the CBI and Income Tax department  launch a suo motu investigation against the former for giving out “secret” information to the media.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr Rao asked angrily how the secret information gathered by these two prominent agencies was getting leaked only by BJP leaders in the state? “This is a clear case of  the Union government making indirect attempts to create instability in all those states where the BJP isn’t in power,” he charged and quickly added that these attempts were not new as such efforts were started when IAS officer D.K. Ravi committed suicide last year.

“We are not against the CBI or IT or Enforcement Directorate probing black money hoarders but the way in which these agencies are conducting their affairs suggests that they are working under tremendous pressure only to identify Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s political opponents across the country. They are acting in a biased manner with an intention to destabilize non-BJP governments states across the country,” he explained.

Training his guns on Mr Yeddyuruappa, Mr Rao demanded that the latter come out with names and evidence if he had any, to prove his charges. “As a matter of policy, the Congress does not protect anyone found guilty, so, the party will certainly take action if anyone is caught by any of these agencies,” he snapped in response to a question.