With Karnataka assembly elections set to be held in less than a year’s time, the ruling Congress has to set its own house in order before taking on the Opposition.
A veteran politician and an MLA, KN Rajanna referred to his own party members as thieves and said that the party does not recognise the “hard work and honesty” of its members.
"I have worked hard. Not only me, many have worked hard but there is no respect for our work whatever we did in the Congress party. Congress party is like a thieves' party and there is no respect for the work, there is no place for honesty and sincerity in the Congress," he told while addressing a crowd in Thimmalapur near Madhugiri in Tumkur district.
He added, “As long as Indira Gandhi was alive, people voted for the Congress without caring who its candidates were. But now, things have changed a lot and in my view there are only three leaders capable of winning votes for their respective parties.”
He then went on to name the top three leaders of the three main parties in the fray.
“The first is state BJP president BS Yeddyurappa, who has a hold on his community’s votes, the second is former PM and JD(S) president HD Deve Gowda, who’s fighting for farmers’ causes and the third is CM Siddaramaiah, who has come out with a number of populist schemes, which have helped rural children get access to health and education,” he said.
The Times of India reported that his statements may have been due to his frustration on missing out on a ministerial berth in the recent cabinet reshuffle.
Rajanna represents the Madhugiri constituency in the 224-seat state assembly.
In April, speculations were rife that the senior leader might shift his loyalty from the Congress party and move to the JD(S).
Rajanna’s statements come after party MP DK Suresh on Wednesday expressed his unhappiness with the party publicly.