Congress is mired in corruption: CM Bommai

K.R. Pet: Alleging that Congress was mired in corruption when in power and that is why the people voted it out of power, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that  top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi may have forgotten the huge scams when the Congress Government was in power in the State and at the Centre.

He was speaking to reporters upon his arrival at Ambigarahalli Helipad ahead of taking part in the valedictory of the 4-day Maha Kumbha Mela at Triveni Sangama near Ambigarahalli-Sangapura-Pura cluster villages in Akkihebbal hobli of K.R. Pet taluk in Mandya this morning.

Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations that jobs were up for sale in Karnataka, Bommai reminded the Congress leader that scams such as question paper leak, Police Constables recruitment etc. happened during Congress rule and the Congress had no moral right to speak about corruption.

Replying to a question on Opposition Leader Siddharamaiah’s assertion that the Congress would return to power in next year’s Assembly Polls, Bommai said that whatever Siddharamaiah had said in the past about BJP has never come true.

“Siddharamaiah as the Congress CM five years ago, had boasted of retaining power in the 2018 Assembly polls. But that did not happen with the Congress winning just 79 seats. The Congress leader had also said that B.S. Yediyurappa (BSY) would never become the CM again. But BSY returned to power just a year later in 2019. These are some of the examples that what Siddharamaiah says do not happen in reality,” Bommai said.

Replying to a question on flood damages in the latest bout of rains, Bommai said that heavy rains has returned to lash the State for the past couple of days and Mandya is one of the worst affected districts.

Stating that the Government will release funds for relief, rehabilitation and road repair works, he assured that the Government will take all necessary measures for addressing flood issues across the State.

Referring to the major road accident near Arsikere in Hassan district late last night, in which at least nine persons were killed and several others were injured, Bommai termed the incident as unfortunate and announced Rs. 2 lakh compensation to the families of each of the deceased. He further said that Hassan District in-Charge Minister K. Gopalaiah would return after the conclusion of Kumbha Mela to take stock of the situation.

Bommai later went to the Triveni Sangama, the confluence of Cauvery, Hemavathi and Lakshmanatheertha rivers, and sprinkled water on his head, instead of taking a holy dip, in the presence of a host of Seers, Saints and others. He prayed the deities for prosperity of the State and welfare of the people.

Later, the Chief Minister walked up to the stage and inaugurated the valedictory of the four-day Kumbha Mela.

Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was supposed to inaugurate the valedictory, could not make it due to floods in his home State.

Adichunchanagiri Mutt Seer Sri Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji, Suttur Mutt Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji, Bebi Mutt Seer Sri Trinetra Mahanta Shivayogi Swamiji, Chitradurga’s Dr. Basavamurthy Madara Channaiah Swamiji, Salur Mutt Seer Sri Shanta Mallikarjuna Swamiji, Vinay Guruji, Ministers K. Gopalaiah, K.C. Narayanagowda, B.C. Nagesh and Byrathi Basavaraj, BJP National General Secretary C.T. Ravi, Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambarish, MLAs B. Harshavardhan and C.S. Niranjan Kumar, Mandya DC S. Aswathi, Additional DC H.L. Nagaraj, SP N. Yathish and a host of other officials and political leaders were present.