Surjewala’s visit aimed at preparing ground to unseat Karnataka CM: BJP

Bengaluru, July 2 (IANS) The Karnataka BJP claimed on Wednesday that the visit of Congress National General Secretary and Karnataka incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala to the state is aimed at preparing the ground to oust Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. 

Addressing a Press conference at the BJP state headquarters, Jagannath Bhavan in Bengaluru, BJP State President and MLA, B.Y. Vijayendra alleged that Surjewala had come to the state to prepare the ground for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's resignation and though he has camped in the state he has shown no concern about the failure of this corrupt government.

He claimed that Surjewala was speaking to legislators to gather their opinion and the competition for the CM’s post was intensifying and the state would witness political horse-trading.

Referring to Ramanagara Congress MLA Iqbal Ansari’s statement that Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar has the support of 100 MLAs and should be the next CM, Vijayendra said that senior Congress MLAs like B.R. Patil and Raju Kage are also openly speaking against the Chief Minister.

"The CM has lost the confidence of even his own party MLAs," he asserted, and appealed to the Governor to take note of possible horse-trading.

Responding to the Chief Minister’s remark that 35–40 deaths in Hassan were possibly due to COVID vaccination, Vijayendra asked, “Was COVID vaccine administered only in Hassan? The vaccine was given to crores across India and exported to countries around the world.”

He urged the state government to conduct a thorough investigation into the deaths in Hassan and condemned the CM's statement as irresponsible.

He also urged the government to convene an emergency meeting and ensure adequate medicine stock at the taluk and district levels.

Commenting on Minister Priyank Kharge’s statement regarding a possible ban on the RSS, Vijayendra ridiculed it as "a daydream of a pauper."

He sarcastically stated that even Mallikarjun Kharge, who is Priyank’s father and the National President of the Congress party doesn't believe that the Congress will come to power.

He added that not even senior Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi believe the Congress can return to power at the Centre.

He further stated that the RSS is a nationalist organization, and even Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru welcomed the Sangh's contributions during the India-China war and allowed it to participate in the Republic Day parade.

"Nehru and Indira Gandhi had banned the RSS, but it was later revoked. Calling for another ban reflects a lack of historical understanding," he said.

Vijayendra hailed the Karnataka High Court’s order transferring the investigation into the Valmiki Tribal Development Corporation case to the CBI as a victory for the BJP's fight.

"This is a major judgment. Bigger names will be exposed. The BJP welcomes the verdict," he stated.

He also claimed that due to BJP's sustained pressure, CM Siddaramaiah was forced to drop Minister B. Nagendra from the Cabinet.

“The CM is now desperate to bring him back. The media knows very well that the CM himself is involved in the scam. Money could not have gone out of state without Finance Department approval,” he alleged.

Vijayendra said the situation in the state is deteriorating daily, the administration has collapsed, and Congress MLAs are locked in a power struggle.

"The race for the CM’s chair is intensifying. As a result, no developmental work is happening, and the government is ignoring farmers' issues," he criticized.