Reports about the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “clandestine poll understanding” with the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), headed by Asaduddin Owaisi, to break Muslim votes have set off another round of allegations and counter-allegations between the Opposition and the Congress.
The BJP denied reports and termed them “baseless”. BJP State spokesperson Ashwathnarayan maintained that there was no need for the party to have an alliance with anybody, including the MIM. He said the Congress had suffered an embarrassment after being forced to modify its circular on withdrawal of cases filed against minorities and the ruling party’s “think tank” was now trying to divert public attention.
This is not new to the BJP. They will take any route to grab power. — Ramalinga Reddy, Home Minister
On the other hand, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said they had information that the BJP had a secret meting with Mr. Owaisi in Hyderabad to discuss a possible election arrangements.
“This is not new to the BJP. They will take any route to grab power. They did this in Uttar Pradesh to come to power. They will implement the same strategy in Karnataka too,” Mr. Reddy told presspersons here.
Reacting to reports that the BJP could likely use smaller parties for their benefit in the elections, the Home Minister alleged that the BJP had come to an understanding with the PFI and the SDPI. He claimed that the BJP and the PFI had tied up to ensure candidates backed by them get to power in the Savanur Gram Panchayat.
Stating that the BJP had internal understanding in constituencies where Muslim voters were high, Mr. Reddy said they were spreading canards that the Congress was having an internal arrangement.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked, “What will happen to society if two parties that are trying to break society come together. Both have had understanding in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra as well.”
