'Corrupt Yeddyurappa': Will Amit Shah faux pas benefit Siddaramaiah, Cong?

With the dates for the Karnataka Assembly elections 2018 announced, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah thanked Amit Shah, claiming that the BJP president was finally speaking 'the truth'

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Tuesday evidently suffered a major slip of tongue when he said if there was to be a competition for the most corrupt government in India, the one to top it would be the B S Yeddyurappa government. Yeddyurappa is Shah's party colleague and he led the previous Karnataka government as its 19th chief minister from May 30, 2008, to July 31, 2011. He is also BJP's chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections 2018.   

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah thanked Shah, claiming that the BJP president was finally speaking "the truth". Shah, corrected by a person sitting next to him, hurriedly amended his statement.  

In the high-stakes political campaign for Karnataka, the BJP and the Congress have traded many barbs, with Siddaramaiah being targeted by the challenger for alleged corruption. Shah on Monday aimed a jibe at Siddaramaiah, equating his "expensive" watch with corruption in the state.  

"CM Siddaramaiah is the only socialist leader who wears a wristwatch worth Rs 40 lakhs (Rs 4 million). This watch is an evidence of his corruption," said Shah.  

The Karnataka Assembly elections will be held on May 12, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Tuesday. The counting of votes will be held on May 15, Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat told the media.

Shah also censured the recently approved minority status granted to the Lingayat community by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state. "Kuvempu had praised Karnataka as 'Sarva Janangada Shantiya Thota' or the garden where all communities live in harmony. For his petty political gains, Siddaramaiah has tried creating disharmony by putting one community over the other. This is reprehensible and he will pay for this," he tweeted.    

Shah, who is currently in Karnataka, on Monday also claimed that the people of the state were unhappy with the Siddaramaiah-led government and were looking for a change. Speaking to the media, the BJP president said, "Throughout the day, I have met farmers, saints, and BJP party workers from 30 constituencies. People of Karnataka are unhappy with Siddaramaiah government and it is very much visible that people are looking for a change."   

Was it an honest slip of the tongue or a Freudian slip (what was in Amit Shah's mind all along)? That the voters will decide.  

Watch Amit Shah's slip of tongue: