Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, 3 July, said that he was in Karnataka because he shares a "special relationship" with Legislature Party Leader Siddaramaiah, amid an ongoing rift between him and State President DK Shivakumar.
"Not only do I like him as a person, but I also share his views. I share his compassion for the poor and the weak," he said while addressing Siddaramaiah's 75th birthday celebrations in Davangere.
"He gave direction to the people of Karnataka. He had a vision for Karnataka. It was premised on the idea of fairness for all. That's completely different from what we see today in the BJP government," he added.
Alleging that the BJP was full of corruption, he said that Siddharamaiah had worked to better Karnataka.
"Basavanna had said work is worship. That is the opposite of what BJP does. The BJP wants to impose one ideology on the people of Karnataka. The BJP is diving people and spreading hatred in this beautiful state, " he added.
Though both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have maintained that the chief ministerial candidate will be decided by the party's newly elected MLAs and the high command on gaining a majority in the polls, their loyalists and camp followers have been adding to the conflict.
The former Congress president's statements during his two-day visit to the state becomes significant while many fear that the party could face turmoil if the tiff between the two leaders, over the chief ministerial post in the upcoming 2023 elections, is not resolved.
There have also been apprehensions that this could affect the party's chances in the polls.
He had earlier held a key meet with senior party leaders in Karnataka, on Wednesday where he urged the members to be united and ramp up the fight to oust the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
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