Sirsi: “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who claims himself to be ‘Ahind Chief Minister’, should come out with white paper comparing funds spent by his government on the welfare of Scheduled Caste and Tribes and backward communities in the past three years with funds spent by BJP government, “BJP state unit President BS Yeddyurappa challenged the Congress government.

Addressing the West Teachers’ Constituency election rally, in Sirsi, on Thursday, he said, now Congress is talking about Dr Ambedkar. However, the same party had, at one time, plotted his defeat. It worked against him till his death. Such a party has no moral rights to talk about the welfare of scheduled caste, tribes and backward classes, Yeddyurappa said.

To contest all seats
“Congress is in power only in Karnataka. BJP has decided to go it alone and contest all 224 assembly constituencies in the State to create Congress-free Karnataka,” Yeddyurappa said. He also indicated plans to tour all constituencies to unite party workers and win over the trust of backward classes, and schedule castes and tribes. He said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had enormous expectations from Karnataka, and vowed that BJP would come to power by winning more than 150 seats in the coming elections. He assured that it would implement Kumar Nayak committee recommendations pertaining to eradication of wages disparities of teachers within 24 hours of coming to power in the next elections.

Lokayukta diluted
He urged the chief minister to implement the 7th pay commission recommendation in toto.
He also criticised Congress government for diluting the powers of Lokayukta institution by forming Anti-corruption Bureau.

Referring to drinking water woes and farmers suffering due to drought in ‘Malenadu’ region, he said the State government was as good as dead to farmers.

Party leaders Narayan Swamy, MP Karki, V S Patil and others were present.