BSY 'incompetent', will be replaced: Siddaramaiah

Mysuru: Former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday described B. S. Yediyurappa as an incompetent CM. He was incompetent as opposition leader, too, he said and stuck to his claim that the BJP high command was thinking of changing the CM. "I told that he (Yediyurappa) would be replaced and I stand by it," the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly said while speaking to media persons at his residence in Sharadadevi Nagar here on Thursday.

When asked on MP Pratap Simha allegation that he was in touch with the BJP high command to extract all the information about them, Siddaramaiah said, "We need not be in touch with anyone to get the information. But there are so many other sources to get information from," he maintained.

A popular Kuruba community leader, Mr Siddaramaiah said, "all the movements across the country to get reservation for backward classes are the handiwork of BJP to divide BC voters who are traditional Congress supporters. Even Kuruba leader of BJP K.S. Eeshwarappa's convention seeking ST status for Kurubas is to target me and isolate me. I sought ST status for the community long back. Their party is in power both in State and at the Centre. The cabinet can move a resolution and send to the Central government recommending ST status for Kurubas. What is the need for a convention? Mr Eeshwarappa only called me once over phone to attend the convention. Since it is politically motivated I said I would not participate. Mr Eeshwarappa is the puppet of RSS. BJP has never been in favour of backward class community. It was BJP MLC Mr Rama Jois who went in appeal to Supreme Court against 73rd amendment to get reservation. They try to create differences among us (between him and

D K Shivakumar) with their statements. They are known for provoking people and adopting the "divide and rule" policy of the British rulers. People won't accept their anti people laws (on love jihad) and they will teach the BJP a lesson."

He said: "Yeddyurappa and JD (S) leader H D Kumarswamy were together, are together and will be together. BJP as a whole doesn't have majority, and they get majority only if they join hands with JD (S)."

On A H Vishwanath's allegation that BJP had sent huge money for his Assembly by-election at Hunsur through Yogeshwar and Santhosh and they did not give it to him, he said, "I want to know if it was white or black money and who gave it and I demand probe by Lokayuktha. If huge money had flown at Hunsur, it might have happened in all by-elections in 16 other constituencies too, right?," he said.

On Congress losing RR Nagar and Shira by-elections, he said, "We got two percent more votes than BJP in elections. It is natural for ruling party to win in by-elections, as they use money, make local understanding and misuse power. So we are not much worried about losing in those elections."

On his statement that G T Devegowda had taken money during Lok Sabha elections in a meeting recently, he said, "It was an in camera meeting and I did not make such a statement," Mr Siddaramaiah said.