It's Siddaramaiah's arrogance v/s my self-respect, says Prasad

Former minister and BJP candidate from Nanjangud Assembly constituency, V Srinivas Prasad, launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC president Dr G Parameshwara and Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, on Friday.

Addressing a media conference here on Friday, he said, it is funny that Siddaramaiah, who wears an expensive Hublot watch says he is seeking his wages (coolie) from the people for his good governance in the form of votes for the Congress in the bypolls.

“There is no point in me accusing Siddaramaiah as arrogant. It is very evident by his behaviour. This election is a fight between Siddaramaiah’s arrogance and my self-respect. Most of the Congress leaders have been misrepresenting my resignation as if I resigned just for power. But, I resigned because I was psychologically deceived and because an undeserving person was inducted into the Cabinet in my place,” he said.

“I am from the home district of the CM. I was always there for him. Even in the last Cabinet meeting I attended, I was seated just beside him. But, the CM did not have the courtesy to consult me. If he wanted me to step down, I would have done it gracefully. But, I was dropped unceremoniously, even without a hint.
Another issue that haunts me is that I have been depicted as inefficient than Priyanka Kharge, a novice. In the Cabinet meeting, when the CM announced that he wanted to reshuffle, he said, it was necessary to form an efficient government. In place of me, a Dalit, Kharge’s son, was inducted. Is he more efficient than me, who has put in 43 years in politics?” he asked.

Targetting Dr Parameshwara, he said, he was nowhere in the Congress, until he bought a ticket by paying money to some office-bearer of the AICC to contest from Madhugiri Assembly constituency in 1989.

“Later, to become a minister in Veerappa Moily’s government, he paid money to one Jitendra Singh, an aide to then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, and I was witness to this. After his defeat in Koratagere in the 2013 polls, he had been complaining that Siddaramaiah engineered his defeat. Now, he is praising Siddaramaiah. What is he? The Home Ministry is under the control of the CM through the advisor, Kempaiah. Police officials themselves do not know who is the Home Minister?” he ridiculed.

Describing Kharge as an opportunist, he said, after deceiving then chief minister D Devaraja Urs, he has been minister in the cabinet of all chief ministers and has now fled to Delhi, leaving his son to thrive in the State. “What is his achievement after winning for a record nine terms from his Gurumitkal Assembly constituency. Has he at least developed his constituency?” he asked.

Replying to a question he said, he was neither Left nor Right, but straight, and when it came to ‘isms’ he was a humanist. He recalled the writings of Deendayal Upadhyay, which advocated unity of the nation and inclusiveness.