‘Photo-op for votes’ in Karnataka: Congress

Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai and BJP strongman B S Yediyurappa have breakfast with Hirala Kollarappa, a Dalit community member, and his family members, on Wednesday. Pic/PTI

The Congress on Wednesday termed Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and state BJP strongman B S Yediyurappa having breakfast at a Dalit's house, as a "photo-op" for the sake of votes, ahead of assembly election next year in the state.

While Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah hit out at the ruling BJP for not doing enough for the sake for dalits and other backward communities so far, AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala took a dig at Bommai government by highlighting an incident where over a dozen Dalit workers were allegedly assaulted and held captive at an estate in Chikkamagaluru.

"As elections are approaching, they have started remembering Dalits, backward classes, SCs and STs, till now nothing has been done for their welfare by this government. Now for the sake of election and votes, they are visiting areas where Dalits and backward communities live," Siddaramaiah, who is here to take part in ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi, told reporters in response to a question.

Also Read: Bharat Jodo Yatra: Rahul Gandhi to meet 2,000 unemployed youths from Karnataka

Bommai, Yediyurappa and other BJP leaders as part of party's ‘Jana Sankalpa Yatra' had breakfast at a Dalit's house in Vijayanagara district earlier on Wednesday.

Surjewala in a tweet said, "The ugly stench of Dalit atrocities under Bommai Govt in Karnataka is nauseating - a 54% increase over last year. As Bommai-BSY (Yediyurappa) do photo-op of visiting a dalit house, BJP leader detains 16 Dalits & a hapless women loses her child."

‘Gaurav Yatra' in Guj temple towns

BJP chief JP Nadda on Wednesday launched the "Gaurav Yatra" of the party in poll-bound Gujarat from the temple town of Bahucharaji, which will conclude at Mandvi in Kutch on October 20.

In the run-up to the high-stake Assembly elections, due in December, the BJP has planned to launch five such yatras in two days. Several Union ministers and BJP leaders from Gujarat will join the yatra at different locations. Nadda flagged of the second yatra at Dwarka later in the day.

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