Never imagined becoming the CM, says Bommai ahead of K'taka assembly elections

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 24 : With Karnataka Assembly elections nearing, incumbent Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that he never imagined that he would become CM one day.

While talking to the media persons in Bengaluru, he said, "I had never imagined becoming the CM, but the party's high command decided it. Now also, the party's high command will take a decision."

CM Bommai was answering questions on whether he would return as the state's chief minister in the event of yet another term win for the BJP.

On Sunday, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai exuded confidence that the BJP will return to power in Karnataka with an absolute majority.

Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, the incumbent CM said the other name of the grand old party was corruption.

The BJP leader further exhorted the people to cast the Congress and its former coalition partner, the Janata Dal (Secular), out of their hearts and minds.

Earlier in the day, addressing supporters during a roadshow in support of the BJP's Tiptur candidate BC Nagesh, Bommai said during the incumbent BJP government, a total of 8,000 classrooms were constructed and 17,000 teachers were recruited by the Education department.

He said these recruitments were clean and did not involve any corruption or foul play.

Taking a swipe at the previous Congress government, CM Bommai had said during the rule of his predecessor Siddaramaiah, people were appointed to teaching posts without even applying for the jobs.

He had claimed further that the erstwhile government was neck-deep in corruption and indulged in many corrupt practices, ranging from recruitment scams to similar irregularities in education.

Throwing his weight behind the party's candidate, CM Bommai had said, "The people of Tiptur, the land of Kalpavruksha, have been supporting Nagesh. He has worked hard to make this place easily identifiable on the state's map. Our sitting MLA (Nagesh) implemented the Honnali Lift Irrigation Scheme and helped to fill up the last tank in this region. The Bhagya Lakshmi scheme introduced by the BS Yediyurappa government also helped 30 per cent of women from the minority community here."

He had said the BJP government implemented the Raitha Vidydhi scheme, under which 75 units of power were made free of cost for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) people and education was also made free for girl students, and others.

"You need to make sure that our candidate here wins by a margin of 25,000 votes, as he brought water from the Hemavathi to this region. He also brought several crores to this area under different heads," the CM had said further.

"Overall in the state, 25 lakh houses were provided with tap water in the last 70 years but since the BJP came to power, 40 lakh houses got tap water connections within three years. This would not have been possible had the Congress been in power," the CM had said, adding that the BJP government has announced a number of schemes and initiatives for farmers, children of fishermen, and others.

Bommai had said though Congress has promised 10 kg rice, Rs 2000 per month to every woman, and 200 free units of power to SC/ST families, people don't have faith in them.

The Karnataka Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on May 10, with the counting of votes scheduled on May 13.

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