Karnataka Polls: Basavaraj Bommai Says Congress Under Clutches Of PFI

Hitting out at the grand old party, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the Congress is in the clutches of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Popular Front of India (PFI) and it cannot come out of it.

Accusing the Congress of doing appeasement politics, he said that when BJP speaks against the SDPI and PFI the leaders of the grand old party are disturbed.

"Congress Party is behaving in a manner that will hurt the sentiments of others, and also succumb to their pressure. If the BJP spoke against the SDPI and PFI, the Congress leaders are disturbed. This indicates how the grand old party is doing appeasement politics," said Mr Bommai.

He further alleged that the two organisations became strong during the Congress rule.

"Those two organisations became strong during the Congress regime. If the SDPI was the 'B'team of the BJP why they would have banned it? Congress is making such an allegation to cover its mistake," he said.

In reply to a question about the Bajrangdal link with Lord Anjanyea by KPCC President DK Shivakumar, the CM said the relationship is that of Lord Hanuman and Lord Sriram.

"The Bajrangdal has a relationship with Lord Anjaneya and the Congress leaders must know that. It was not right on their part to hurt the sentiments of the people," he said.

Mr Bommai said the BJP is facing the Assembly election with its programs and the Congress Party on its assurances. Raking up issues unnecessarily and instigating on the lines of caste and religion is not correct. This shows the appeasement politics of the Congress Party.

Reacting to former AICC President Sonia Gandhi's poll campaign in Hubballi, the CM said they will not cry like the Congress leaders. "Like the Congress leaders, we will not ask why Modi and Shah are coming to Karnataka".

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)