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On Muslim deputy CM demand in Karnataka, Congress's ‘backed by BJP’ counter
Congress said Muslim Waqf Board chief Shafi Sadi who demanded a Muslim deputy CM and 5 important ministries for Muslims in Karnataka is BJP-backed.
As the Congress is set to solve the Siddaramaiah-DK Shivakumar conundrum in Karnataka, a statement by the Karnataka Waqf Board chief Shafi Sadi has led to a new flashpoint between the BJP and the Congress as Shafi Sadi demanded a Muslim deputy chief minister for the state. The Congress said Shafi Sadi is backed by the BJP and BJP making it an issue to attack the Congress which wrested the southern state from the BJP in a thumping victory is "a bit too much". Read | DK Shivakumar or Siddaramaiah? Kharge's key meet today to pick Karnataka CM. 10 points
"Secularism of the Congress kinds comes with a price," BJP's Amit Malviya taunted sharing the video of the Waqf Board chief.
"We already said before the elections that the deputy chief minister should be a Muslim and that 30 seats be given to us... We got 15, and nine Muslim candidates have won. In about 67-72 constituencies, the Congress won purely because of the Muslims. We gave a lot to the Congress. Now it's time we get something. We want a Muslim deputy chief minister and five ministers with good portfolios like Home, Revenue, and Education," Shafi Sadi said adding that an emergency meeting of the Sunni Ulma board took place.
"No Muslim has ever become a chief minister in Karnataka. But we are not even demanding that," the Waqf Board chief said.
In a jibe to Amit Malviya, Congress's Pawan Khera said, "I understand your need to fake. But this is a bit too much. Shafi Sadi is backed by BJP."
Another BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the prominent Muslim group is demanding their pound of flesh and spoils in Karnataka. "Congress’ appeasement politics to give religious reservation, to repeal anti cow slaughter law, anti conversion law & ally with SDPI is now coming to haunt them. Don’t be surprised if Karnataka becomes the most unstable & corrupt administration by Congress replicating their Rajasthan Template of appeasement & political adultery and instability," Shehzad tweeted.
The new controversy surfaces as the battle for the chief minister's post in Karnataka gets intense a day after the state's newly elected MLAs authorised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to choose the CM pick. Both Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, the top two contenders for the post, will be heading to Delhi. The Congress may go for a CM-deputy CM allocation for the dup like it did in Rajasthan when Ashok Gehlot was made the chief minister and Sachin Pilot the deputy. That did not end well in Rajasthan and the Waqf Board's demand of a Muslim deputy CM also spells trouble for such a solution in Karnataka.
