Former Karnataka CM makes appeal to minorities to vote against BJP

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Thursday appealed to Dalits, members of backward castes and minorities not to vote for the BJP, alleging that elections would not be held if Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he dubbed "second Hitler", returns to power. Addressing a public meeting in favour of the Congress-JD(S) alliance candidate Prajwal Revanna at Kaduru in Chikkamagaluru, Siddaramaiah said, "Not a single vote of Dalits, backward castes and Muslims should go to the BJP." He warned people that autocracy will replace democracy if Modi comes back.

"I beg you with folded hand that this time you have to defeat the BJP. If Narendra Modi comes back again, elections will not take place. There will be an autocracy. Democracy will not survive. Downtrodden communities, backward communities and minorities will be ruined," he said.

Siddaramaiah said when people ask Modi for a job, he tells them to sell Pakoda. "He (Narendra Modi) will be the second Hitler. You should be cautious," Siddaramaiah warned. The jibe comes close on the heels of chief minister H D Kumaraswamy's calling Modi "worse than Hitler." Kumaraswamy was upset over the income tax raids on contractors in Mysuru, Mandya, Ramanagar, Hassan and Bengaluru.

Siddaramaiah was accompanied by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda to seek vote for Prajwal Revanna, Gowda's grandson and PWD minister H D Revanna's son. The JD(S) gave him a ticket to contest from Hassan Lok Sabha constituency as the candidate of the Congress-JD(S) coalition which is presently ruling Karnataka.

Gowda's other grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Kumaraswamy is contesting from the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency.

(With inputs from agencies.)