Nanjangud: Dismissing BJP’s allegations that the Congress won the Nanjangud and Gundlupet by-polls by money and muscle power, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah said that elections cannot be won by spending money and if it was so, big industrialists such as Tata, Birla and Ambani too would have attained power.

Addressing the Congress thanksgiving meet at the ground next to Vidyavardhaka School in the town yesterday, Siddharamaiah maintained that he did not speak against State BJP President B.S. Yeddyurappa and Nanjangud BJP candidate, though he was provoked by the two.

Claiming that he sought votes on the Congress Government’s performance in the State, the CM reiterated that Tata, Birla and Ambani would have won the elections and not Kalale Keshavamurthy, if money was the only criteria for winning.

Stating that the BJP had no moral right to criticise the Congress, the CM reminded that it was the BJP which resorted to ‘Operation Lotus’  for purchasing MLAs from other parties.

Asserting that he relied on public support throughout his over three decade political career, Siddharamaiah said Yeddyurappa had insulted the voters of Nanjangud and Gundlupet by saying that the Congress had ‘purchased’ votes.

Alleging that the BJP tried to divide voters on the basis of caste, he said the Congress is like a needle that stitches people together. The CM who avoided directly criticising BJP candidate V. Sreenivasa Prasad, recalled his challenge of quitting politics if he loses and said he won’t ask him to quit politics for now.

Thanking JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, BSP, left parties and dalit organisations for their support to the Congress in the by-polls, the CM reiterated that the politics of Congress was based on people’s trust and not money.

KPCC President Dr.G. Parameshwara who also addressed, ridiculed Sreenivasa Prasad saying that no politician should have to end their political career like the latter. He asked voters to elect Kalale Keshavamurthy even in the 2018 general elections for the development of Nanjangud.

Winning candidate Kalale Keshavamurthy, who presented a silver mace to Siddharamaiah, urged the CM to launch the long pending Nugu Irrigation Project, which is aimed at irrigating over 20,000 hectares of land.

Ministers Tanveer Sait, M.R. Seetharam, Roshan Baig, H. Anjaneya, M.B. Patil and S.S. Mallikarjun, former Ministers B.K. Chandrashekar and Allum Veerabhadrappa, MLAs Vasu, Narendraswamy and Puttarangashetty, MLCs V.S. Ugrappa, Dharmasena and H.M. Revanna, District Congress President Dr. B.J. Vijaykumar and others were present.