BJP President Amit Shah, taking part in the party’s Parivartana Yatra here on Wednesday, said the countdown has begun for the end of Congress rule in Karnataka. While corruption has risen, development has taken a back seat in the State, he said.

Listing out the ministers allegedly involved in corrupt practices, he said CBI raids unearthed several hundred crores worth of unaccounted assets with the Karnataka Power Minister.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah himself was involved in a ₹70-lakh watch row, he added.

“He (the CM) patronised rich businessmen and doled out favours in exchange for expensive gifts,” he said, adding that the CM’s son was involved in an MRI scam.

Higher funds

Shah further said Karnataka is suffering from lack of development. “Because of Congress apathy, the engine of growth has slowed down. There is clear disconnect between the government and people. The Karnataka government is only there to strengthen the Congress and not serve the people,” he said.

During the 13th Finance Commission in the UPA regime, Karnataka got ₹88,583 crore in funds. Under the 14th Finance Commission in NDA rule, the State was allocated ₹2.19 lakh crore, said Shah. “Did the funds reach the villages?” he asked. “Modi has sent all this money. Where is it? Karnataka wants to know.”

Vote bank politics

Shah accused the Congress government of being anti-Hindu, resorting to vote bank politics to win elections.

The Siddaramaiah government is supporting fundamentalist organisations such as the SDPI by withdrawing all criminal cases against them, while it is demanding a ₹10,000 bond for erecting Ganesha Chaturthi pandals, he said.

The government has not paid salaries for priests in various Hindu temples, he added.

The Congress government is responsible for the killing of 23 innocent BJP/RSS workers over the past three years, Shah said. “Once the BJP comes to power, all these elements in the government will go to jail.”

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