HD Kumaraswamy plaint over BSY’s ‘casteist’ comments

BENGALURU/DAVANGERE: The JD(S) on Monday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against chief minister BS Yediyurappa for allegedly urging people to vote on caste and religious lines.
At a rally in Gokak on Sunday, Yediyurappa had exhorted Veerashaiva Lingayats to ensure “not even a single vote from the community” goes to rival candidates in the bypolls, urging them to “set aside” differences and vote for the BJP.“People of the Veerashaiva community will never stray from the BJP in any election,” Yediyurappa said. He had also urged Hindus to not vote for any other party candidate.
On Monday, former chief minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy criticised Yediyurappa’s comments, saying that as CM, Yediyurappa should not practice divisive politics and should appeal to every caste and community for votes. “I’ve never practised caste-based politics,” Kumaraswamy said.
Reacting sharply to the complaint, Yediyurappa dismissed it saying it has become a “routine affair” for the opposition to file complaints against him on a day-to-day basis.