Previous Congress govt was like ATM for party high command: Bommai

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday alleged that the previous Congress government in the State was like an ATM (any time money) for its high command, and money from the State was taken in suitcases by that party to fight elections elsewhere.

He accused Congress president Sonia Gandhi of betrayal, recalling that she had fought and won the Lok Sabha elections from Ballari in 1999 by making false promises, and then giving up the seat in favour of the Gandhi family bastion of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, the other constituency from where she had contested and won that polls that year.

"They (Cong) allege BJP government here is giving money to its high command. The former Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) is saying such things out of his experience, as he has had the practice of giving money to Congress high command for five years in the past (2013-18). Such a culture doesn't exist in the BJP, if there is such a tradition and history it is in the Congress party and its high command," Bommai said.

Addressing a rally as part of BJP's 'Jana Sankalpa Yatra' here, he said the Congress government in Karnataka was like an ATM for the party high command for five years, and if there were elections elsewhere, money was taken in suitcases from here.

"Looting Karnataka, the then Congress government sent money as tribute offering to its high command, with what morality are they speaking? They should be ashamed. Having involved himself in such a transaction, your State party president (D K Shivakumar) is facing inquiry today. I pity him, he is going through things for trying to protect your (Congress) high command," he added.

Bommai, along with BJP strongman B S Yediyurappa, is on a Statewide tour in the run-up to Assembly polls next year, and the duo is scheduled to cover 52 Assembly segments till December 25.

Noting that the Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi is reaching Ballari on Friday, the Chief Minister, while recalling Sonia Gandhi winning Lok Sabha election from there and then giving it up, said, " After taking votes from people this region, she never turned back, she made false promises and did injustice to you. Now they (Cong) are coming back, shouldn't you question them and give them a message that their false promises and betrayal will not work anymore?"

Recalling that people during 1999 Lok Sabha election had sought all-round development of Ballari region, and that Sonia Gandhi and the Congress, which was then in power, had promised Rs 3,000-crore package, he said, "Where is Rs 3,000 crore? What development? Other than Rs 1,500- crore thermal plant which was for the entire State nothing was done to Ballari...With what face are you coming?"

The Chief Minister at the rally made BJP ticket aspirants of Huvina Hadagali Assembly constituency take a pledge that they would unitedly work for the party's victory, irrespective of whoever among them is fielded as the candidate during 2023 polls.

Reminding that BJP lost the constituency last time as two candidates from the party had contested as rivals, Yediyurppa said based on a survey, ticket would be given this time and whoever contests, workers should unitedly work for his or her victory.

He called on the BJP workers to take up mass public contact programmes from now and inform people about the work by the governments at the Centre and the State, aimed at winning over 150 seats (out of total 224).

Yediyurappa said Rahul Gandhi is doing padyatra in the State in search of an address, as the party has no address across the country.