The Opposition BJP and Janata Dal (S) on Wednesday mounted a frontal attack on the Congress-led government in the state after Chief Minister’s economic adviser Basavaraj Rayareddy bemoaned that Karnataka was number one in corruption.
Participating in a programme organised by the Regional Imbalance Redressal Committee, Rayareddy said that the rampant corruption in Karnataka made the state number 1 in terms of corruption, irrespective of who was in power.
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The startling revelation sounds ironic at a time when the state leadership is busy deliberating on rebuilding the party at the Congress convention in Ahmedabad, particularly when the Chief Minister is presenting the “Karnataka Model” as an alternative with which the party can go to the people during elections.
Pouncing on the remarks made by the CM’s economic adviser, state BJP president BY Vijayendra and JD (S) spokesperson Nikhil Kumaraswamy said that when an admission of this sort comes from within the government, it is a cause for concern and an alert, a wake-up call that the people must take note of.
While the BJP leader said that the economic adviser to the CM exposed the dark face of the government and its corruption, Kumaraswamy said the Congress government was pushing the state into a financial anarchy with its reckless spending on guarantees and promises. “Respected Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, your economic adviser and MLA, Basavaraj Rayareddy, has himself openly revealed that corruption and looting are integral part of the Karnataka government,” Vijayendra said.
“He has exposed the dark face of this government’s corruption and highlighted how the dignity of the state has been compromised under your leadership. He has clearly revealed how Karnataka, under your administration, has become synonymous with corruption on the national stage, bringing shame to the state at the international level,” Vijayendra stated.
“Previously, the BJP government, under the leadership of our respected Basavaraj Bommai, was falsely accused and defamed as a 40 per cent commission government,” Vijayendra claimed. “With such misleading propaganda, you (CM Siddaramaiah) misled the people of the state and beat the drum worldwide, proclaiming yourselves as the only honest ones, eventually coming to power. Now, the mask of honesty has fallen off, and your true face stands exposed,” the BJP leader said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Kumaraswamy said that the alert has come from within the government and needs to be taken seriously, as it points to a looming economic crisis in the state.
