Continuing his tirade against the BJP government in Karnataka, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said it had created a “world record” in corruption, apparently referring to the charges against the party’s erstwhile leader BS Yeddyurappa.
Starting the second leg of his campaign tour in Haveri district, 334 km from Bengaluru, for the May 5 elections, the scion of the Gandhi family said: “The BJP is talking about corruption at the Centre. However, the corruption in the state did not come to their attention.”
Blaming the BJP for ignoring people’s issues, Gandhi said the party had been involved in infighting for the past five years. As he did in another speech on April 23, Gandhi asked, “Do you want such a government?’’
Later in his speech, Gandhi alleged the BJP in the state came to power on the strength of the financial power of the Bellary brothers, referring to the three Reddy brothers — Janardhana, Somashkhara and Karunakara.
He said while the party prospered, illegal mining continued, giving space to the Reddy brothers to expand their businesses and influence in the state government and politics.
{{/usCountry}}He said while the party prospered, illegal mining continued, giving space to the Reddy brothers to expand their businesses and influence in the state government and politics.
{{/usCountry}}“It was the Bellary government, not the BJP government,’’ Gandhi said.
Blaming the BJP for “ruining” Asia’s IT capital, Gandhi said Bengaluru was a brand in the information technology sector. However, in the past nine years, the city had lost its supremacy, he said.
Sushma slams govt
BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said on Friday the Congress-led UPA government’s scandals spread over the triloka (earth, sky and the nether world).