BJP criticises Congress for 'damaging' Karnataka's image

BANGALORE: BJP today criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other Congress leaders for "damaging" Karnataka's image during their campaign for the May five Assembly polls in the state.
"It was India's image that had taken a beating because of the corrupt Congress rule at the Centre," BJP General Secretary H N Ananth Kumar told reporters after unveiling a book '100 Still Not Out! - UPA Scams'.

"The Centre is facing corruption charges in 2G, CWG, coalgate and several others scams," he said. The total scam the UPA has committed is to a tune of Rs 5.5 lakh crore, Kumar said.

In their poll campaign, both Sonia and Rahul had accused the BJP government of having "looted" the state. Rahul Gandhi had described BJP as a "champion" of corruption.

There is bickering in Congress in Karnataka over chief ministerial candidate and it could not distribute tickets sans infighting, whereas BJP declared its candidate and distributed tickets without a hitch, Kumar said.

To a query, he said that people of the state remembers the BJP government for implementing development programmes. "The Congress has conducted negative campaigning unlike our party. We have reached to the people with our achievements," he said.

Asked whether the party is ready for alliance in the event of a hung assembly, Kumar said this time people would give a decisive verdict for BJP.

On how big a threat was KJP led by former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to BJP, Kumar said there is a triangular contest in Karnataka. "Our contestants are Congress and JDS."

In a separate query, the BJP leader said the UPA government should issue a stern warning to Pakistan and revisit bilateral relations with it over the death of Sarabjit Singh after a brutal assault on him in a jail in Pakistan.