The recent statements by BJP leaders C.T. Ravi and Pratap Simha alleging “an understanding” between a few leaders of the BJP and the Congress as one of the causes for the party’s defeat in the elections have vindicated JD(S) national president H.D. Deve Gowda’s remark, former MLC and JD(S) leader Ayanur Manjunath has said.
In a press conference in Shivamogga on Thursday, Mr. Manjunath said Mr. Deve Gowda recently said that several Congress leaders had an understanding with the BJP for their political careers. “Now no less than BJP’s national general secretary C.T. Ravi and senior Lok Sabha member Pratap Simha have made these remarks. The comments carry weight because of the positions they hold,” he said.
Mr. Manjunath, who had been with the BJP for a long time and left the party only to contest the Assembly polls on JD(S) ticket, said that both the BJP leaders should spell out the names of the BJP leaders who had an understanding with the Congress. “If they did not come out with the names, the people of the State would be forced to look at the top leaders of that party (the BJP) with an eye of suspicion,” he said.
MLA criticised
Reacting to the BJP workers’ Wednesday protest opposing the revised power tariff, during which a few protesters threw stones at the MESCOM office, Mr. Manjunath blamed BJP MLA S.N. Channabasapa for the incident. “Everybody has the right to protest. However, throwing stones at the government office is an offence. The MLA who led the protest should take responsibility for the incident, and he should ensure such incidents do not repeat,” he said.
He also welcomed the recent State government’s order extending childcare leave facilities for male government employees. Earlier, the facility was only for female employees. “I had raised this issue in the Legislative Council and demanded the same facility for male employees who are single parents. Now it has been fulfilled,” he said.
He also demanded the State government cancel the new pension scheme and reintroduce the old pension scheme (OPS) for government employees instead.
