Ssshhhh! No more loose remarks, BJP workers told

BENGALURU: Taking serious note of some BJP leaders putting the Basavaraj Bommai government in an embarrassing situation with their statements, the party high command warned them to be cautious and not issue statements regardless of whether they are indoors, in public or even over telephone.

BJP General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh said the Congress is conspiring to spoil the image of the BJP in the run-up to the 2023 assembly polls. He asked party workers not to make such remarks. The office-bearers’ meeting held earlier also made a similar resolution.

The Congress had termed it a “lame-duck government” after the remarks of Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhu Swamy that the government was not functioning, but “being managed” went viral. Madhu Swamy’s cabinet colleagues, including S T Somashekara and Munirathna, attacked him. Revenue Minister R Ashoka also felt that Madhu Swamy should not have spoken in that manner over phone. Madhu Swamy offered to resign if Chief Minister Bommai instructed him to do so.

Earlier, former BJP MLA B Suresh Gowda’s remarks on leadership change had put the party in a tight spot. The Congress had, through a series of tweets, trolled the BJP, asking if it was installing a third chief minister in the state. Minister B Sriramulu’s remarks that he wants Congress leader Siddaramaiah to become CM again, too embarrassed the BJP.  

Addressing these issues, Arun Singh issued a warning to the party’s ‘outspoken’ leaders, and alleged that the Congress is conspiring to mislead the people of Karnataka. “I have information that it is creating confusion to mislead people as it has no mandate. Congress has become a conspiracy party and may also tamper with tapes of BJP leaders. I suggest to party workers not to say anything about the party and government even inside a room or during a telephonic conversation,” Singh warned.

On speculation over leadership change, he clarified the question doesn’t arise as Bommai is a common man’s CM, and has been delivering the goods for farmers with ‘Raitha Vidyanidhi’ scholarship to their children, the poor and more importantly, SC/ST communities. On cabinet expansion, Singh clarified it is Bommai’s prerogative. He said that opposition leader Siddaramaiah’s birthday bash had proved he was a more popular leader than KPCC chief DK Shivakumar.