Mysore/Mysuru: Accusing the Congress of making baseless allegations against the BJP in order to come to power in the State, BJP National General Secretary and Karnataka Party In-charge Arun Singh dismissed the Congress charges of 40 percent commission in contracts as a bundle of lies.

Addressing a press meet at the Party Office in Chamarajapuram here yesterday, Arun Singh, responding to former CM Jagadish Shettar’s charges that top BJP leader B.L. Santosh was responsible for him (Shettar) not getting the BJP ticket from Hubli-Dharwad Central seat,  said that Santosh was a totally committed and dedicated party leader and it is not correct for Shettar to blame Santosh for being denied the ticket.

“Shettar was denied the ticket in order to pave way for a new leadership in Hubballi. Shettar, who is a former BJP CM, has now left the party and joined the Congress only for the sake of power and he will soon repent for his action,” he said adding that the BJP will defeat Shettar and Laxman Savadi who have left the BJP.

Maintaining that it is the BJP which has given social justice and reservation to oppressed section, Arun Singh alleged that the Congress has turned these sections into mere vote banks.

Asserting that there is no 4 percent reservation for Muslims anywhere in the country, Singh defended the Government’s action on hiking reservation for Lingayats and Vokkaligas by striking down Muslim reservation.

Charging the previous Siddharamaiah led Congress Government of doing nothing when Hindu activists were killed, he said the Siddharamaiah Government, instead of punishing the culprits, released PFI activists from jail.

Commenting on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s poll campaign in the State, Arun Singh said Priyanka had campaigned in Uttar Pradesh too where the Congress could win only a single seat and her campaign in Karnataka will have little impact on the voters here.

Asserting that the BJP is getting a strong foothold in Old Mysuru region too, he expressed confidence that the BJP would win 150 seats in the State.

Stressing on the need for having a double engine Government in order to take forward the development works, he said the Modi and Bommai Governments will together take forward the State to greater heights if the BJP retains power with an absolute majority.

Noting that Karnataka is way ahead in sanitation and drinking water facilities, he said the BJP was always for development politics.

MLA S.A. Ramdas, State BJP Vice-President M. Rajendra, MPVL Chairman Raghu Kautilya, ZAK Chairman M. Shivakumar and leader H.G. Giridhar were present at the press meet.