I may have made a mistake, but Karnataka people won't: Amit Shah on 'most corrupt' gaffe

NEW DELHI: BJP president Amit Shah on Friday attacked the Congress for mocking him for a recent slip of tongue where he accused his own party's chief ministerial candidate in Karnataka of running "the most corrupt government", reported ANI.

"In a slip of tongue, I said that the Yeddyurappa government is corrupt instead of Siddaramaiah's and the entire Congress party started to rejoice. I want to tell Rahul Gandhi, that I might have made a mistake but the people of Karnataka will not," charged Shah in Mysuru today.

On Tuesday, Shah misspoke and said that "if there were ever a competition for the most corrupt government then the (BJP's) Yeddyurappa government would come first".

BS Yeddyurappa is the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Karnataka, while incumbent CM Siddaramaiah belongs to the Congress.

As soon as Shah made the remark at a press conference in Bengaluru, former CM Yeddyurappa leaned over to him, possibly to correct him. Then Shah amended what he had said - that he meant "Siddaramaiah would come first in a competition for the most corrupt government" - but the damage had been done.

The Congress and its chief Rahul Gandhi didn't pass up the opportunity to poke fun at Shah.

"...time for a sneak preview of our top secret campaign video! Gifted to us by the BJP President, our campaign in Karnataka is off to a fabulous start. He says Yeddyurappa ran the most corrupt Govt ever... True", tweeted Gandhi.

"Who knew Amit Shah could also speak the truth- we all concur with you Amit ji BSY-BJP is the most corrupt!" tweeted Divya Spandana of the Karnataka unit of the Congress party.

Siddaramaiah called the BJP president "the Shah of Lies" and said he's finally speaking the truth.

Afterwards, Yeddyurappa clarified that the gaffe was merely a slip of tongue.

Speaking to reporters today, BJP chief Shah condemned the killings of party and RSS workers under the Congress government.

"More than 24 workers have died and the police hasn't taken any action against the killers, they are roaming around free. Siddaramaiah government's end is nearing and once BJP is in power we will ensure justice," he said.

Shah is currently on a two-day tour of Karnataka, which goes to vote on May 12.


(With inputs from agencies)