Bengaluru As voters in Karnataka cast their votes, leaders of the three major parties presented a confident front claiming they would win the elections comfortably. While the Congress leaders said the anti-incumbency would decide the election results, the BJP argued that the voters would rally behind their promise of development.
KPCC president DK Shivakumar, who was seen riding an autorickshaw with the party workers in his home constituency on Wednesday afternoon said there will be no post-poll alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular). “There are no chances of alliance with JD(S). We will form the government on our own,” he said.
“The issue is price rise, corruption, good governance and development…” Shivakumar said. “I am appealing to everyone… please vote by looking at our gas cylinders. I have advised all my leaders to put a garland on it (the cylinder),” he added.
Former Karnataka chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Wednesday alleged that the ruling BJP wants to win the Assembly election with “money power” as they “do not have any developmental projects to showcase” to the people.
He also charged Prime Minister Narendra Modi with being silent on price rise, unemployment and corruption, in the state during his series of public meetings while campaigning for the elections in the state.
“Money has been flowing (in the election). Now what else BJP has (done) to go to the voters other than giving them money? What can they say about the state except that they have money? What development have they done?” the Leader of the Opposition said.
Siddaramaiah alleged that the BJP could not “give a single house or complete irrigation projects” and reduced free rice for each member of below poverty line (BPL) families from 7 kg to 4 kg per month under the ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme.
“The BJP’s achievements are zero in the last four years. Hence, they want to win the election through money,” he alleged.
“The Prime Minister’s rallies will not have any effect. Did he speak anything about price rise, unemployment, corruption especially 40% commission? Two years ago, he was petitioned regarding a 40% commission. Did he say anything about the action taken on that petition?” Siddaramaiah asked.
On the other hand, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the people of the state will rally behind BJP’s development agenda. “People of my constituency have showered me with so much love that I am sure I will be winning from here with a record margin, and so will the BJP. We will win with a comfortable majority. This is a fight between development and sinister campaigns. But the people of Karnataka are seeing things with a positive approach and they will vote for the state’s development,” he said in Shiggaon.
To question whether he will be the chief minister Bommai said that “the decision will be made by the legislative party and party high command,” he added.
JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said that his party is expected to take a “hit” in up to 25 Assembly segments, where it had chances of winning, due to a financial crunch, in the Karnataka elections held on Wednesday.
Despite financial constraints, his party will be ahead of Congress and BJP in terms of winning the number of seats, the former chief minister claimed, as he asserted that his party will emerge as the ‘King’ and not just a ‘King maker.’
“What has pained me is that I have not been able to financially support several candidates of my party. I expected that I might get public support in terms of funds, but I have taken a hit to an extent. At several constituencies which had winnable candidates like in Chikkaballapura and Doddaballapura, I have failed to financially support the candidates at the final stages,” Kumaraswamy said.
“Some constituencies have taken a good sum of money from party funds and in some winnable seats I have not been able to give enough funds and it has caused a hit. I have not been able to support them as per expectation, as the party did not get donations as expected,” he said.
Further requesting the party workers not to develop a wrong impression of its candidates, Kumaraswamy said, “I have let the candidates down, it is my mistake. In about 50-60 seats where our candidates were giving a good fight, I have not been able to give funds as per expectations,” he added.
