Davanagere, March 23: Former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa stated on Monday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to achieve a significant victory in the upcoming by-elections for the Davanagere South and Bagalkot assembly constituencies. He emphasized the necessity of bringing the BJP to power to teach the Congress a lesson.
Speaking to reporters, Yediyurappa remarked that the public is fed up with the governance style of the Congress-led state government, which he claimed holds an excessive majority. “The people of the state are eager for change. I appeal to the voters of both assembly seats to ensure a BJP victory and teach Congress a lesson,” he said.
In response to a question, Yediyurappa noted that the Muslim community has recognized the betrayal by Congress and urged them to support the administration under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of making irresponsible statements in light of the Congress’s impending defeat in the by-elections. Yediyurappa expressed confidence in the political climate in Karnataka, stating, “Our (BJP) candidate has just filed nominations, and I believe we will win by a large margin in both Davanagere and Bagalkot.”
Meanwhile, Yediyurappa’s son and state BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra criticized the Congress government for its lack of concern for the state’s development, asserting that the BJP will secure a substantial victory in Bagalkot. He highlighted the absence of funds allocated for the development of Bagalkot, which he claimed had led to Siddaramaiah’s political resurgence.
Vijayendra made these comments during a massive roadshow prior to the nomination filing by BJP candidate Veeranna Charantimath for the Bagalkot by-election. He challenged the public to compare the funding allocated to the district during the tenures of former Chief Ministers Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar, and Basavaraj Bommai.
He asserted that Congress would face defeat in the Bagalkot by-election and that nothing could stop the BJP from winning. “The aware voters of Bagalkot have already made up their minds, and the public has made a mistake once and will not repeat it,” he added.
Vijayendra also accused the Congress government of preventing Hindus from celebrating festivals, citing the denial of permission for a peaceful procession during Shivaji Jayanti in Bagalkot. He labeled the Congress government as “anti-Hindu” and called for its removal from Karnataka.
He further claimed that there is no caste division or internal factionalism within the BJP, while accusing Congress leaders of misappropriating funds allocated for Dalits and spending millions to mislead voters. He urged the public not to allow such practices and called on BJP workers to unite for a historic victory for candidate Charantimath.