Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar
Credit: PTI Photo
Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday asked the BJP national and state leaders why should people vote for them.
In a media interaction organised at Bengaluru Press Club, Shivakumar said, “I would like to ask all the BJP leaders for what reason should people vote for them? Did they keep up the promises that they made in the state and at the Centre before coming to power?”
The BJP has lost the morality to seek votes, he added.
Mentioning about various irrigation projects pending for clearance from the Centre, he said, “Where is the clearance for Mahadayi, Mekedatu and Upper Bhadra projects? Not just irrigation projects, even when state was facing severe drought, no financial aid had been extended by the Centre.”
Alleging that enforcement directorate and income tax are working like agents of the BJP government, he said, “ The BJP is harassing the Congress leaders and supporters in the name of IT and ED. It is trying to win the elections by threatening our party workers, but people will not support them.” Criticising the JD(S) for fielding Deve Gowda’s son-in-law from the BJP, he said, “Even the JD(S) has lost strength.”
While replying to a question, Shivakumar ensured that the guarantees would continue even after elections. “There are over 1.20 crore Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries and it is not vote bank it is life bank. Record it, our government will be there for 10 years and the guarantees will continue. I want to tell people that the BJP and the JD(S) are spreading false information to get votes,” the deputy chief minister added.
Don’t believe in surveys
Responding to various survey results which are giving a majority to the NDA in the Lok Sabha polls, Shivakumar said that he doesn’t believe in surveys. “For any survey, sample size matters. Contacting 4,000 to 5,000 people is not a survey. I have confidence that I.N.D.I.A alliance will come to power and in Karnataka we will cross 20 seats,” he added.
No cast barrier
Replying to the war of words between H D Kumaraswamy and him, Shivakumar said, “I have no aim to become a leader for one particular community. I am not a community leader, I am a Congress leader. May be I was a Vokkaliga by birth, but I have no caste barrier now.”
He further said that he respects Kumaraswamy. “I had to respond as he crossed his limits and where there is action, there is always a reaction,” Shivakumar added.