Karnataka BJP "Divided Into 2 Factions": Siddaramaiah On Bengaluru Clashes

Leader of the opposition in Karnataka Siddaramaiah has alleged that a faction of the state BJP closer to the RSS was trying to take advantage of last week's violence in Bengaluru to topple it's own government of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

Raising questions about the intelligence,the former Chief Minister also alleged that the ruling party leaders were using SDPI as a pawn for political reasons to divide Muslim votes. Accusing the state government and its ministers of trying to mislead the people over the violence, he said that the BJP, instead of identifying the actual culprits, were more interested in targeting the Congress.

"BJP Karnataka is clearly divided into 2 factions. One that is closer to RSS is trying to take the advantage of Kaval Byrasandra incident to topple BS Yediyurappa's position," Siddaramaiah tweeted.

"The investigation should start from the failure of intelligence dept. If this incident, according to BJP Karnataka, is pre-planned, then why did this not come to the notice of intelligence dept? What was the reason for the delay in filing case against Naveen?" he asked.

The violence in DJ Halli and adjoining areas on August 11 night involved hundreds of people over an inflammatory social media post allegedly put out by P Naveen, a relative of Pulakeshinagar Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy.

His residence and a police station at DJ Halli were torched by rioters, who also set many police and private vehicles ablaze and looted the belongings of the MLA and his sister.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai had recently said that local level "political differences", especially within the Congress, and SDPI's larger conspiracy to disturb law and order were among the reasons behind the violence.

Asking BJP to punish SDPI if it is involved, Siddaramaiah alleged that BJP leaders are using SDPI as pawns for political reasons and to divide Muslim votes.

Charging the government with trying to mislead the investigation, he said, "BJP ministers and MLAs are giving conflicting opinions. They initially blamed SDPI, then INC and now claims it to be an act by terrorists. What are they trying to hide? Instead of identifying
the actual culprits, BJP Karnataka leaders are more interested in targeting Congress party. They see politics in all crisis," he tweeted.