Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa said that the Jana Swaraj Samavesha of BJP is meant for destroying Congress completely.
His remarks came as a reply to Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah’s criticism of Jana Swaraj Samavesha, saying it was the convention meant to destroy people.
Speaking during Jana Swaraj Samavesha held in Madikeri on Monday, Eshwarappa further said that people have rejected Congress, which has now been reduced to a regional party. There are two factions in the state Congress. Nobody knows when the party will get shattered into pieces.
“Fed up by the self-centric attitude of Siddaramaiah, many leaders are about to quit Congress. Even after getting defeated in Chamundeshwari constituency, he has not learnt his lesson,” he said.
Eshwarappa also said that there is a proposal before the government to increase the remuneration of the president, vice president and members of Gram Panchayats.
The BJP-led Central government has supplied drinking water to 8.5 crore households in the last seven years. However, Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar have made it their full-time job to criticise the government, he added.
Eshwrappa further said that BJP workers in the district are like ‘Lions of Hindutva’. If they are messed with, the people responsible have to bear the consequences.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shobha Karandlaje said Siddaramaiah’s situation is that of the fox which said unreachable grapes were sour.
He is delivering vague statements after losing power, she said.
“The Central government has always been supporting the farmers and will extend its cooperation to the states to implement farmer-friendly laws,” she added.
Shobha asked whether the leaders from the district Congress lack the courage to contest against the BJP candidate.
“In Kodagu, Congress is almost extinct. This is the result of their anti-people stand and the internal clashes,” she said.
She said that Congress leaders had criticised the Covid-19 vaccination. But, later, they themselves were first in the queue to receive the jab.
The Central government has been making the nation self-sustainable in all sectors including defence, said Shobha and stressed achieving a majority in the Legislative Council to pass pro-people laws.
The Union Minister further said that work on Rama Mandira needs to be completed by 2023.
Cooperation Minister S T Somashekhar said that immediate measures will be taken to release Rs 195 crore as a part of the farmers’ loan waiver scheme.
This will benefit 40,000 farmers, he said and added that the District Central Credit Cooperative Bank has been performing well.
MP D V Sadanada Gowda expressed his confidence in BJP winning 17 seats in the Legislative Council.
Madikeri MLA Appachu Ranjan said that import culture is the tradition of the Congress party. In the coming days, Congress will not be left with any candidates in the district to field in the elections and candidates will have to be imported from outside the district.
Virajpet MLA K G Bopaiah said that the Coffee Board has submitted its report stating there has been a loss of 33% in the coffee crop.
The district administration should conduct a survey again, to protect the interests of coffee growers. The Central government should issue directions in this regard, he added.
MLC election candidate Suja Kushalappa said that he has worked in BJP for the past 43 years and will continue to serve the party.
Minister for Fisheries, Port and Inland Water Transport S Angara, MLC Sunil Subramani, BJP state vice president N Shankarappa and others were present.