BJP national president JP Nadda, who is in Karnataka on a two-day visit, took a swipe at the Congress and said the party is “synonymous with corruption, commission and casteism”.
“We have a mission to serve, and they have a mission to get a commission,” Nadda said, addressing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s ‘Shakti Kendra’ meeting of heads in Tumakuru.
“Congress’ other name is corruption, commission and casteism. They should be made to sit at home,” Nadda said as he urged his party cadres to take the message of BJP’s “inclusive politics” to all sections of the society irrespective of religion, caste and gender.
With assembly elections just a few months away, the BJP top brass is touring the state to mobilise voters.
Nadda is on a two-day visit to Karnataka, during which he will visit Tumakuru, Chitradurga, and Davangere districts. His visit to Karnataka comes days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended a rally in Mandya and inaugurated a mega-dairy in the district to make inroads into the Old Mysuru region.
Nadda in Tumakuru said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created “politics of report card” in the country, and the party will face Karnataka polls, with a report card on its performance. India has become a sound and stable economy under the leadership of Modi, Nadda said, adding that the country has also defeated the United States to become the fifth-largest economy in the world.
He said he has come to the meeting to meet the workers, who work at the ground level and take the message of the party and the government to the people. “I have decided to visit all parts of Karnataka and directly speak to karyakartas as we prepare for upcoming elections.”
State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, party’s national general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh, ministers J C Madhuswamy, BC Nagesh and Araga Jnanendra were among those present at the event.
Accusing the Congress party of vote bank politics, dividing the people in the name of caste, creating a regional divide, also indulging in casteism, dynasty and appeasement politics, the BJP president said from the time PM Modi took over, dynasty and caste politics has ended and with the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’.
Urging party workers to unify everyone under BJP’s symbol, Nadda said they have to work towards it.
“So, give representation to all sections in your booth and shakti kendra. Also, ensure that Dalits are associated with the party. No caste should be left out,” Nadda said.
In Chitradurga, Nadda visited the Siddaganga Mutt, a prominent Veerashaiva Lingayat mutt in the state. He also visited Sri Madarachannaiah Swami, a prominent Dalit pontiff and the Sirigere Mutt, which belongs to the Sadar-Lingayat sub-sect.
Addressing a convention of party workers, Nadda said the BJP and Modi government have worked towards social justice. “It’s the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas’. For the first time, PM Modi’s cabinet has 12 Dalit ministers, 27 OBC ministers and more than 8 tribal ministers.”
“The second Dalit President, Ram Nath Kovind, assumed office when Modi was the prime minister. The first tribal woman to become President, Droupadi Murmu, assumed office when Modi was the PM,” Nadda said.
Nadda’s rallies gain significance in the backdrop of Congress’ SC/ST convention — ‘Ikyata Samavesha’ in Chitradurga on January 8, which is expected to revive the ‘Dalit chief minister’ demand.
Congress leader and former deputy chief minister G Parameshwara had earlier said that the convention is being held to reassure people that the Congress is with them.
Both the Congress and the BJP are trying to woo the communities ahead of the Assembly elections in the state. The BJP has been claiming that it hiked the quota for SCs from 15 to 17% and STs from 3 to 7%.
However, it was during the Congress-JD(S) rule when the process of increasing reservation by setting up justice Nagamohan Das committee started, Parameshwara pointed out last month.
(With inputs from agencies)
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