Karnataka: Siddaramaiah asks people of Badami 'why' they voted for BJP after Cong lost from Bagalkot LS seat

Bengaluru: Amid continuing power tussle between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the coalition government in Karnataka, former state chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday lashed out at the people of Badami for voting the BJP into power.

Speaking at a public gathering in Badami, the senior Congress leader told the people that he was shocked and surprised that the people voted for the BJP.

It is important to note here that Siddaramaiah is the Member of Legislative Assembly from the Badami Vidhan Sabha constituency.

“I do not understand why you voted for the BJP. (I was shocked when) news started emerging that the BJP was leading from here. The Panchayat Bhawan was built by us... We provided you with food and shelter...yet, you voted for BJP... I wonder why,” news agency ANI quoted the former Karnataka CM as saying.

Badami is one of the eight Assembly constituencies that falls under the Bagalkot Lok Sabha constituency. The others are Mudhol, Terdal, Jamkhandi, Bilgi, Bagalkot, Hungund and Nargund. BJP’s PC Gaddigoudar is the Member of Parliament from Bagalkot.

Rumours of rift within the Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition in Karnataka have been rife ever since they formed the government in 2018 after the Assembly elections. Though the BJP became the single-largest party in the Assembly, the Congress, with 80 seats, and the JD(S), with 37 seats, forged an alliance to form the government.

However, reports of infighting within the Congress cadre put across an image of ‘instability’ in the Karnataka government, with several leaders from both the parties expressing discomfort over portfolios. That the BJP was also resorting to horse-trading in an attempt to usurp power was also a deterrent to Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s hope to establish a stable government.

However, Siddaramaiah continued to stress on the fact that the coalition government was strong and there was no discomfort within the party ranks, and that the BJP’s attempts to topple the government was going to be futile.