If voted to power, we will send corrupt BJP leaders to jail: BK Hariprasad

BENGALURU: “If we come to power, we will send all those involved in corruption to jail. For the BJP government, which has 90 days of power, I will challenge Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s own lingo: “If they have the guts, let them send us behind bars,” thundered Council Opposition Leader BK Hariprasad here on Friday.

At an interaction with the media at the Press Club of Bengaluru, he was retorting to the statement that the BJP government would investigate cases against Congress leaders, including Siddaramaiah, for allegedly indulging in corruption during their rule between 2013 and 2018. He claimed that Congress will win a clear majority in the Assembly polls as people are fed up with price rise, especially of LPG cylinders. “Congress will garner 35-40 per cent vote share and win the hearts of voters and those who will vote without the barriers of caste and creed. The clear mandate will give no scope for any horse trading,” he said.

“KPCC president DK Shivakumar has prudently got his own survey done and so has CLP leader Siddaramaiah as it is a question of their political survival. The AICC, too, got its own survey done,” he said.

The 36-member election committee of the party will shortlist candidates based on the surveys, and opinions of leaders at the District Congress Committees and blocks, he said.

On PM Narendra Modi reportedly asking former CM BS Yediyurappa to take Muslims into confidence ahead of the polls, Hariprasad said it is like the devil preaching Gita. “Whatever Modi says, minorities will not trust him as his and BJP’s principle is violence and falsehood. The BBC documentary has also shown Modi’s role in the Gujarat riots.

BJP’s politics revolves around hatred and vengeance. But as the polls approach, they have realised that love jihad, hijab and halal will batter BJP. Since Muslims will not trust Modi, they have let Yediyurappa, who had worn Tipu’s headgear sometime back, to convince the community,” he charged. Hariprasad said being a long-time MP, he knows both Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah personally since 1990.

On the controversy about his remarks on 17 Congress and JDS MLAs, who joined BJP and toppled the Congress-JDS coalition government, Hariprasad clarified he did not use the word veshya (whore) to describe them. “If there is footage showing me using that word, I am ready to resign as MLC,” he said.