Nalin Kumar Kateel.
Credit: DH Photo
Mangaluru: Rubbishing the claims of feud among Karnataka BJP leaders, former state president Nalin Kumar Kateel said that there is no faction in the BJP and all are united to work for strengthening the party to fight against the Congress led government which is mired in corruption and scams in the state.
“The BJP is a national party. The party leaders express their views. Difference of opinions are common in a political party. However, we are all united. The senior leaders in the party will sort out the differences. When required action too will be taken against leaders who express their dissent in open,” he told media persons in Mangaluru on Saturday.
He accused the Congress-led state government of engaging in corruption and scams.
“There are the MUDA and Valmiki Corporation scams which the ED is also probing. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who speaks of constitution should have tendered his resignation owning moral responsibility following the MUDA scam. Even after one and a half years of coming to power, the Congress has neglected development in the state,” he alleged.
“The development is zero and the law and order situation has failed totally. The state is heading towards bankruptcy. Even the promise of guarantee schemes are also not reaching the beneficiaries. The benefits under Gruha Lakshmi have not reached women for the past four months,” he said and added that financial assistance under Yuva Nidhi too has failed to reach the beneficiaries.
“The Congress had accused BJP in the past of a 40% commission government. However, now, the Congress government is 80% government. The Chief Minister has not even spared Dasara Nadahabba and used its grand platform for political messaging,” he said.
The Congress in the state is engaged in hate politics and there is a rise in assaults and attacks on Hindus.”
'BJP will win'
Kateel said that the BJP will win the MLC byelection from Karnataka Legislative Council from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Local Authorities’ Constituency. Kota Srinivas Poojary has represented the constituency for the last 16 years. “The party has fielded a youngster to raise the voice of the gram panchayat and other local bodies in the Legislative Council,” he said.
'Wasn’t an aspirant for MLC by-polls'
To a query on Kateel’s name being heard before the announcement of tickets for the MLC byelection, he said “I was not an aspirant for the ticket. The party has given me the opportunity to represent Dakshina Kannada lok sabha constituency thrice, along with the state president post. I am only engaged in strengthening the party and working out strategies to retain the MLC seat which the BJP has been winning over the years. I am an ordinary party worker and am committed to the party’s ideology” he said.