Congress will lose in Karnataka due to anti-RSS propaganda, says CM Basavaraj Bommai

Stating that the RSS has done good work in different parts of the country, CM Basavaraj Bommai said the outfit always rushed to help people in trouble during calamities.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on June 5 said the anti-RSS propaganda resulted in the Congress losing its grounds elsewhere and the same will happen in the State as well.

"Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress leaders were always against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), so they speak against the outfit but people are well aware of the RSS. Their (Congress') anti-RSS propaganda led to their losing grounds everywhere and the same will happen in Karnataka as well," CM Bommai told reporters.

The Chief Minister said the RSS has been promoting patriotism and doing public service for the past 75 years. Stating that the RSS has done good work in different parts of the country, Mr. Bommai said the outfit always rushed to help people in trouble during calamities.

Targeting the RSS a week ago, senior Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah had questioned whether those who belonged to the outfit were "native Indians", "Dravidians" or "Aryans". The statement drew sharp criticism from the BJP leaders.

To a query on the possibility of cross-voting during the biennial elections to the four seats of Rajya Sabha, Mr. Bommai said, "Let us wait for June 10 (the election polling date)."

The BJP has fielded three candidates — Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Kannada film actor-turned-politician Jaggesh and Lahar Singh Siroya.

While the BJP is sure to win two seats given its numbers in the Karnataka assembly, it is taking a chance to win the third seat for which the Congress and the JD(S) too have fielded their candidates. The tussle for the third seat has led to speculation about cross-voting.