Mysore/Mysuru: Maintaining that he would not have become the Chief Minister but for the Constitution, Opposition Leader and former Chief Minister Siddharamaiah alleged that the RSS (Rashtriya Seva Sangha) has not accepted the Constitution and as such it was talking about changing it.

He was interacting with members of University of Mysore Research Students Association as part of the Congress party’s campaign for the Legislative Council polls from South Graduates Constituency, at a private hotel here on Sunday.

Contending that any Government in power should function in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, Siddharamaiah said that Keshav Hedgewar established the RSS in 1928 and since then no backward class leader has climbed the top rung of the ladder in that organisation.

Arguing that only upper caste people were in the hierarchy of the RSS, the former CM wondered why there was no backward or oppressed class leader in the RSS top brass. Accusing the RSS of strengthening the class system, Siddharamaiah opined that it was beyond imagination the fate and future of the country’s population, had not the Constitution came into being.

Noting that any attack on the Constitution can be construed as an assault on the lower strata of the society, Siddharamaiah charged Prime Minister Modi of mismanaging the country’s economy. Accusing the Centre of meting out a step motherly attitude towards Karnataka, he said that the State has been given only Rs. 4.5 lakh crore out of the Rs.19 lakh crore GST payments.

Lashing out at MP Pratap Simha, Siddharamaiah said that the country’s debts was Rs. 53 lakh crore when Modi came to power in 2014. But in just eight years under Modi, the debts has mounted to Rs. 155 lakh crore, he claimed  adding that the country cannot afford such a huge burden of loans, for which the BJP alone is responsible.

Former Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, who also spoke, appealed the electorate to cast their votes in favour of Congress candidate Madhu G. Madegowda as he is the right choice for representing the educated voters in the Legislative Council.

Siddharamaiah later held a meeting with Congress leaders at his residence in Ramakrishnanagar later in the day, during which he discussed and detailed out poll strategy for ensuring the victory of Madhu G. Madegowda. 

Congress candidate Madhu G. Madegowda, MLA Tanveer Sait, former MLAs M.K. Somashekar and Vasu, former MLC R. Dharmasena and a host of other Congress leaders were present.