Will Karnataka BJP Demand Expulsion of CM Siddaramaiah for Black Flagging Indira Gandhi?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The BJP and Congress are currently in a heated political conflict in Karnataka.
- Deputy CM Shivakumar has threatened to ban BJP meetings in the state.
- The BJP has raised questions about Siddaramaiah's past actions against Indira Gandhi.
- Political accountability and integrity are at the forefront of this debate.
- This incident reflects ongoing tensions in Karnataka's political landscape.
Bengaluru, April 30 (NationPress) The BJP and Congress engaged in a heated exchange on Wednesday regarding the interruption of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's speech at a recent event by BJP's women workers.
In reaction to a warning from Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President, D.K. Shivakumar, claiming he would prohibit any BJP meetings in the state following the disruption of the CM’s address, the state BJP highlighted that Siddaramaiah had previously displayed a black flag to the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi yet remained in the Congress party.
The BJP challenged whether Dy CM Shivakumar would have the courage to expel CM Siddaramaiah due to this past incident.
Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, remarked on Wednesday, “Siddaramaiah showed black flags to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi — do you possess the audacity to expel him from the party, Mr. D.K. Shivakumar?”
“Is your so-called strength merely confined to making grand statements in front of the media, like iron melting in a furnace, Mr. Shivakumar?” Ashoka mocked.
“You have threatened to prevent any BJP events in the state. If you genuinely possess the power, then attempt to remove CM Siddaramaiah — the very individual who once showed black flags to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi — from his position and expel him from your party,” he challenged.
“When your party’s supreme leader (the late Indira Gandhi) was Prime Minister, you welcomed someone who had displayed black flags towards her, permitted him to join the Congress party, made him Chief Minister twice, and are now thriving under his influence. What moral authority do you hold to threaten the BJP regarding protests?” Ashoka questioned.
In response to the disruption of CM Siddaramaiah's speech by the BJP over his comments on “no war with Pakistan,” state Congress chief Shivakumar warned on Monday that if the BJP persists in this manner, they will not be permitted to hold any meetings in the state.
“The BJP dispatched its workers to our protest to wave black flags and cause chaos. I want to inform the BJP and opposition leaders — if you continue this conduct, we will not allow you to hold even a single meeting in the state,” he asserted.
“This is a pledge from the Congress party,” he emphasized.