The Karnataka elections have been fiercely fought by the Congress and BJP. The campaigning phase was rife with allegations and counter allegations, jibes and counter jibes. The Congress played every ace up its sleeve, from dividing Hindus into fractions by giving Lingayats ‘minority status’, to making under the table deals with radical Islamist outfit PFI, to attempting to tear the nation based on the North-South divide. However, BJP secured 104 seats and now, Yeddyurappa has been sworn in as the Chief Minister with 15 days to prove his majority on the floor of the house.
Siddaramaiah has been completely sidelined by Congress after the results have been declared. The Chief Ministerial post has been pawned off the JD(S) like an alliance carrot leaving Siddaramaiah, who was so confident of ruling Karnataka once again, high and dry.
As all elections, both parties were confident of victory. On one fine morning, Yeddyurappa had declared that he will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on 17th May 2018. This was many days before the campaigning had even come to a close.
While nobody expects political rivals to accept such wild assertions graciously, Siddaramaiah, in his true Congress demeanour, decided to hurl insults at Yeddyurappa.
Remember this @siddaramaiah!?
It’s the 17th and it’s #BSYNammaCM !!!#CMBSYpic.twitter.com/KfNRZmgnYA
— gab.ai/VandeMataram (@Vande_Mataram) May 17, 2018
In the video tweeted by a user @Vande_Mataram, a journalist asks Siddaramaiah for his comments on the assertions of Yeddyurappa. Siddaramaiah rhetorted, “He is mentally disturbed”.
What is extremely disturbing is the abysmal level at which the Congress dragged the political discourse through this election. What is shocking is the reaction of journalists present to such abysmal comments.
None of the journalists present took offence to what was being said or the insult hurled by one politician on the other. Instead, journalists are heard laughing hysterically at the comment.
Now that the election is over and BS Yeddyurappa has been sworn in as the Chief Minister on 17th May, right on the date he asserted, one wonders what Siddaramaiah will say now.
