Amit Shah explains ‘BSY most corrupt’ faux pas: ‘I may have erred, but people of Karnataka will not’

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah today said that inadvertently calling BS Yeddyurappa government ‘most corrupt’ at a press conference earlier this week was just a slip of tongue. Shah kicked-off his two-day Mysuru visit today. Admitting that he had made a mistake, Shah said people of Karnataka will not do the same while electing their next representative. He also hit out at the Congress for rejoicing his gaffe.

“I want to tell Rahul Gandhi, that I might have made a mistake but the people of Karnataka will not,” Shah said. Questioning the leadership of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Shah said that the grand old party has lost all elections since the previous general election.

In an embarrassing goof-up, Shah had said on Tuesday that BJP’s chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa ran the most corrupt government in the country. Congress leaders snatched the opportunity to target the saffron party which has gone hammer and tongs against the Siddaramaiah government over rise in corruption during his regime.

Raising questions over Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, Shah said that the party lost all elections since 2014 and now its Karnataka’s turn to dislodge the grand old party and vote the BJP to power.

Shah also blasted Siddaramaiah government over inaction in checking the killings of BJP and RSS workers in the state. He said that if the BJP returns to power, it will ensure justice to the families of victims. He said that over 24 workers have been killed in Karnataka and the government has taken no action against the killers. “I condemn the killing of BJP and RSS workers under the Congress party rule… killers are roaming around free,” Shah said.

Polling in the state will be conducted in a single phase across all 224 Assembly constituencies on May 12. Results will be declared on May 15.

The election is a matter of prestige for both the BJP and Congress. While the Congress is facing anti-incumbency in the southern state, it isn’t going to be a cakewalk for the BJP either, given the Congress’ Lingayat card barely a week before the polls were announced and the code of conduct kicked into place.