Davanagere, March 27 (IANS) Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Friday that people have grown “disillusioned” with two-and-a-half years of the state government’s administration. ​

He asserted that the shadow of the power tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar will impact the Davanagere by-election, and a BJP victory in this bypoll will change the political direction of Karnataka in the coming days.​

Speaking at a press conference at the Bharatiya Janata Party office in Davanagere on Friday, he said the by-election came as a surprise and that many political developments have occurred over the past two-and-a-half years. People are disappointed and feel that the government is not functioning effectively in any sector.​

He alleged that it is an anti-farmer government and that no one is listening to the problems of the common people. Development, he said, has to be searched for with a magnifying glass. Corruption is widespread, and common people are struggling because of it.​

Bommai said that in the previous election, the Congress had campaigned on AHINDA and the caste census. ​

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah used AHINDA communities for political gain without providing any real benefits. The government has misused these communities and now lacks the courage to face them, yet continues to display arrogance.​

Criticising the recent budget presented by Siddaramaiah, the MP called it “a bundle of lies,” accusing the Chief Minister of following the principle that repeating a lie loudly makes it appear as truth.​

Questioning what the state government has contributed to Davanagere in the past two-and-a-half years, Bommai said ₹900 crore received under the Smart City project came from the central government, not the state. Apart from that, he claimed there has been no notable development.​

He described Davanagere as an important commercial hub in central Karnataka with a rich past, but said no visible development is seen in urban areas.​

He further said that for the first time, a new social alignment is emerging in Davanagere. What was once considered the Congress vote bank no longer remains intact, he claimed, adding that there will be social realignment and political polarisation. A Bharatiya Janata Party win in the by-election would change Karnataka’s political trajectory, he asserted.​

Responding to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statement that a Muslim candidate Pathan, defeated Bommai’s son in Shiggaon by a margin of 12,000 votes, Bommai alleged that money was used extensively and conspiracies were carried out. ​

He claimed that around 8,000 votes were influenced by bringing voters from neighbouring constituencies and by manipulating certain officials, which led to their victory.

​He added that people are now fully aware and that discussions about Siddaramaiah’s “shaky chair” are happening daily. The shadow of the Chief Minister–Deputy Chief Minister conflict will affect the Davanagere bypoll, and hence Bharatiya Janata Party’s victory there is certain this time, he expressed confidence.​

--IANS

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