Bommai says Congress used Karnataka as ATM

BALLARI: Ripping into the Congress for accusing the state BJP of “sending money filled with suitcases” to the party top brass, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said it was the Congress high command that used Karnataka as an ATM while in power. Addressing the Jana Sankalpa Yatra at Hoovinahadagali on Thursday, Bommai said through their allegation, Congress leaders revealed their practice of paying to the central leaders. “But the BJP has no such culture. If there was any such practice or history of sending suitcases, it was the Congress,” he charged.

The previous Congress government in the state was an ATM for five years and used to get money from Karnataka to spend for elections in other states, the CM said adding that the then government used to send suitcases by relentlessly looting Karnataka. “So, the Congress leaders have no moral right to accuse the BJP in this regard,” he stressed.

“Because of feeding the high command with money, the KPCC president is facing inquiries. We feel pity for him. To protect the Congress high command, he is suffering,” Bommai said. Coming down heavily on the Gandhis, he said as the family members are coming to Ballari again, people of the district should ask Rahul Gandhi what his mother contributed for the district for getting her elected as MP. “Sonia Gandhi chose Raebareli over Ballari leaving the people of the district in the lurch. So people should send a message to the Gandhis that their lying will not be tolerated this time,” he said.

Stating that the BJP lost Hoovinahadagali seat in the previous election because of its own mistake, Bommai appealed to party leaders to iron out differences between them and work in unity for the success of the party, whoever might be the candidate. He also made the local leader take an oath on working for the success of the party.