As the Congress upped its ante on corruption charges against the ruling BJP and held protests in various parts of the State, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai at the party’s State executive meeting that began on Saturday in Hosapete described the principal Opposition party as a “river of corruption” and said it would sink in the 2023 Assembly elections.
At the launch of the two-day meeting, he said the Congress was the fountainhead of corruption in the country. “Cases reported during the Congress rule in the State are still alive. Go to whichever department and you will find one or the other case. You talk volumes about the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes on the one hand but misappropriated funds meant for these deprived communities on the other. The truth will come out and I have asked Congress leaders to be ready to face it,” Mr. Bommai said.
“Congress leaders are in a state of shock after the results of the Assembly elections of the five States were announced,” he said, adding that they “did not know what to do”.
Obliquely referring to the death of contractor and BJP worker Santosh K. Patil, after levelling corruption charges against the former Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, and the Congress demand for his arrest, Mr. Bommai said the Congress had no moral right to raise its voice in the case. “When you [Congress] were in power, a police officer committed suicide leaving behind a death note holding the Home Minister responsible for his death. But, you did not register an FIR. Court had to intervene in the matter. What moral right do you have to raise your voice in this case?” Mr. Bommai said.
Speaking at length about the projects announced in his Budget recently, Mr. Bommai said he would face the 2023 Assembly elections with a “report card” and seek the blessings of the people. “I am confident that we will return to the third floor of the Vidhana Soudha,” he said.
‘Eshwarappa will return to Cabinet’
BJP national general secretary and in charge of Karnataka Arun Singh on Saturday said Mr. Eshwarappa, who resigned from the Ministry amid allegations of corruption, would come clean and join the State Cabinet shortly.
Referring to the death of Patil, Mr. Singh said the entire episode was a “Congress conspiracy”.
“The Congress is known for hatching conspiracies. There are multiple dimensions to the death of contractor Patil. The truth will come out after the investigation. I am hopeful that Mr. Eshwarappa will come clean and become a Minister again,” Mr. Singh said.
When asked about the rising prices of essential commodities and the Union Government’s failure to control it, Mr. Singh said he would talk only about his party’s State executive meeting.
