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Karnataka: Targeting Basavaraj Bommai only as CM and not his caste, says DK Shivakumar

BENGALURU: With BJP attempting to derail Congress’ highly-effective ‘PayCM’ campaign by giving it a caste twist, the principal opposition party on Monday reiterated that their corruption campaign is targeted at the government and its head, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai , and had nothing to do with him hailing from the Lingayat community.



K Sudhakar, medical education minister, on Sunday sought to give the row a caste spin by claiming Congress has, for ages, treated governments headed by Lingayats shabbily. Congress, on Sunday, clarified that it had nothing to do with caste and it was only about governance.

DK Shivakumar, president of the state Congress unit, on Monday, again said: “Who is the head of the government? It is CM Basavaraj Bommai . We are only targeting him because he is the CM. Our campaign has nothing to do with him being from the Lingayat community. ”

Sudhakar had claimed Congress has a track record of alienating Lingayats, pointing out that it had forced Veerendra Patil to step down as chief minister in 1989 and that the Siddaramaiah government had tried to resurrect the age-old debate of Lingayats versus Veerashaivas.

Congress on Sunday held a three-member press conference, which included R Ramalinga Reddy, Krishna Byregowda, and Priyank Kharge to clarify that their accusations of corruption are only targeted at the government and Bommai in his capacity as CM.

Reddy, state Congress working president, said: “BJP released a book accusing the Siddaramaiah government of corruption. Was it because he was a backward class leader? They spoke against DK Shivakumar , so does that mean they were targeting Vokkaligas? They spoke against me, so does it mean they were targeting Reddys? To hide their corrupt ways, the BJP government is taking shelter under caste politics. ”

Reddy said even BJP legislators like Basangouda Patil Yatnal, a Lingayat, spoke against the government. “BJP gives a caste or religious hue whenever Congress speaks of corruption. These games will not work,” said Reddy.

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