Mysuru: Former Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, who began his campaign for the Hunsur byelections on Wednesday, said he was confident the people would reject candidates, who had defected to other parties the way they had in Maharashtra, Haryana and Gujarat.
Interestingly, both he and former Chief Minister, H D Kumaraswamy (who also held a poll meeting in Hunsur during the day) said that the Congress and the JD(S) had the same goal to defeat the disqualified MLAs, who brought down their 14- month coalition government in July.
Mr Kumaraswamy told reporters that although they were not in a poll alliance, both parties were out to defeat the disqualified MLAs.
Referring to the former legislators, Mr Siddaramaiah too recalled that "They ditched their respective parties," and alleged that BJP national president and Union home minister, Amit Shah and Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa were involved in engineering their defections.
The Congress leader, who was speaking to reporters in Mysuru before heading out to campaign in 16 villages of Hunsur assembly constituency, claimed that the BJP would also pay a heavy price these bypolls for neglecting the flood victims. "BJP leaders have forgotten the victims of the floods and drought in the state. The Prime Minister did not visit them and gave only Rs 1200 crores for relief work. Flood victims of Maharashtra, who were neglected, rejected the BJP and this will happen here too," he said.
On the statement of BJP leader J.C. Madhuswamy against a community, Mr Siddaramaiah charged that the saffron party was fascist in nature and often depicted a lie as the truth.
Asked if he had been isolated within the Congress party, he asserted, "I am not alone. The Congress party fought for independence, it has given reservation for women and backward classes, and is preserving democracy. It will never desert anyone."
Later, campaigning in Hunsur constituency for Congress party candidate, H.P. Manjunath, he contended that disqualified legislator, A H Vishwanath, who had been fielded by the BJP in Hunsur, would not win at any cost.
"One cannot win by drama and lies. Defecting from one party to another has become a habit with Mr Vishwanath. Will people support those involved in horsetrading?" he asked.
