Congress warns of ‘SayCM’ campaign against K’taka govt

PTI, Oct 18, 2022, 5:46 PM IST

The Congress in Karnataka on Tuesday warned the ruling BJP saying it will launch a ‘SayCM’ campaign after the ‘PayCM’ drive, over the failure to respond to the questions raised by it regarding the government’s functioning.

The party’s warning was over the BJP’s alleged silence on the 50 questions posed by it.

The Congress launched the ‘Nim Hatra, Idya Uttara’ drive asking the BJP government to answer 50 questions.

The drive has been launched for the BJP’s alleged failure to fulfill over 90 per cent of the promises in the 2018 manifesto.

The BJP’s silence to the first 50 questions is proof that they’re guilty of the charges, the party said in a statement.

”Given how BJP reacted to ”PayCM” campaign, they would launch a ”SayCM” to force the BJP to answer for their failure in the last 3 years. The Congress intends to continue questioning the BJP till the 2023 assembly elections,” the statement read.

The Congress said it will question the outcome of the Paresh Mesta enquiry, quoting the CBI report as an example of how the BJP used polarisation and divisive tactics to divert public attention every time it is asked for accountability or came under public scrutiny.

Ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections, Mesta was found dead in Honnavar in Dakshina Kannada district. His family charged that he was murdered on communal grounds.

The BJP too charged the then Congress government led by Siddaramaiah with doing nothing to protect Hindus.

However, recently the CBI said Mesta died accidentally.

The Congress recently launched the ‘PayCM’ campaign, which was a copy of electronic wallet PayTM. The party alleged that there was rampant corruption in Karnataka as the BJP ministers were charging 40 per cent commission on public works, a charge, which BJP has rejected outright.

Senior Congress functionaries including former chief minister Siddaramaiah, party state chief D K Shivakumar took part in the campaign and pasted PayCM posters in public places.