A statement by Ramesh Jigajinagi, MP from Vijayapura, implying that some of BJP leaders were responsible for the party’s debacle in the Karnataka Assembly elections, has created a controversy.
The six-time MP, who has also served as a minister in the Karnataka government thrice, said that negative actions by some leaders was responsible for the defeat of the BJP.
Speaking to journalists in Vijayapura on June 13, the senior Dalit leader claimed that some leaders in the BJP were responsible for its defeat in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections. Some BJP leaders denied tickets to senior leaders and replaced them with new faces.
“That was the real reason for our defeat. Over 70 seniors were denied tickets. If that had not happened, BJP would have won 130 seats and formed the government.
“I do not know who came up with the idea of denying tickets to senior leaders and MLAs. Whoever they are, they should be hanged or dismembered,” he said.
He attributed the success of the Congress to the five guarantees and the exit of senior leaders, like Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi, from the BJP.
He is, however, confident that the BJP would be re-elected in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“There is no alternative to the BJP. Congress lacks a strong leadership. Congress only has that boy and that girl in its frontline leadership. Can they ever be called leaders?”
Congress took to social media to counter the points raised by the BJP MP. Tagging the BJP’s social media handles, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee tweeted: ‘Your senior MP has said those who gave tickets to newcomers should be hanged. Who will you hang now? Amit Shah, B L Santosh, Pralhad Joshi, PM Narendra Modi or Basavaraj Bommai? Who is responsible for the defeat? Who will take responsibility for it? Can we expect a response from the BJP about this?”
