No question of removing any community from SC list: Karnataka CM Bommai

Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, he took the Congress leaders to task for giving the wrong information to a few communities that they have been removed from the SC list.

Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, the CM said, "The government will not remove the Banjara, Bhovi, and Koracha from the list, and information in this regard has been given to the government of India last month. All these communities have been there since the days of kings and they have continued even after the Constitution came into effect. With evidence, all information has been shared with the Government of India and those communities will remain on the SC list."

On former CM and senior JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy's statement about the offers made by the high commands of two national parties, Bommai said, "The JDS leader knew well who and when, and what offer he gets, and what he would receive."

"Like other parties, he will not tell lies and give wrong statistics. All the survey reports have come and the BJP is ahead of all other parties since this is a party internal matter and cannot be made public," he added.

"I have visited all the districts five to six times in the last one and a half years. I have not left out any district in the last three months. The BJP will get an absolute majority in the Assembly polls and it will come back to power," Bommai remarked.

Mentioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming April 9 visit, the CM said, "PM Narendra Modi will be visiting Mysuru in connection with 50 years of 'Project Tiger' and this program was fixed much before the announcement of the poll dates."

"Along with the PM, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda will be coming to Karnataka for the campaigning. Besides, several other leaders will be coming to the State. Digital technology will be used to reach the maximum number of people in the coming election. The booth-level party workers must visit every house in their assembly constituencies to tell about the achievements of the state and union governments. The visit of national leaders must be intimated to the citizens in advance," the CM added.

Talking about the upcoming elections, he said, "The list of BJP candidates will be released soon. Already, the party has on its hand the survey report along with recommendations/suggestions of taluk and district-level workers and leaders. The complete details will be sent to the Party Parliamentary Board for its approval and it may take a week time."

Launching an attack on the Congress, CM Bommai said, "KPCC President DK Shivakumar has called the BJP MLAs' during the preparation of the second list of candidates and this shows the pitiable situation of the grand old party."

"Shivakumar would not have called if the Congress Party had strong candidates. The Congress leader has offered the tickets to those who join the party. This shows that the Congress Party did not have the candidates. They have tried to contact all those who had joined the BJP in 2019 as well as the original BJP legislators. The BJP will come back to power with a thumping majority," the CM added.

Bommai also said that he received the memorandums from the general public to date but it is not possible from tomorrow following the poll conduct.

"I am happy that I got an opportunity to serve the people. From today, we have to abide by the law," the CM said.

The Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the Karnataka Assembly elections. The polling would take place in a single phase on May 10, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Wednesday.

The counting of votes will be done on May 13, the CEC said in a press conference here.

Detailing the data of the electors, the CEC said that there are a total of 5.21 crores in the state and the number of 100 plus voters is 16,976.

He informed that over 58,000 polling stations would be set up across the state. (ANI)