Amid speculations of Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivas Murthy possibly switching sides after he resigned as a member of the Karnataka Assembly after being denied a party ticket, BJP leader Tejasvi Surya, in an interview with CNN-News18 on Monday alleged a “connection between Congress and SDPI” behind Muthy’s decision and claimed that being secular is not sufficient in Congress, as one must also hold an “anti-Hindu” stance.
Congress MLA R Akhanda Srinivas Murthy who represented Pulakeshi Nagar Assembly constituency went to Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district and tendered his resignation to the Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri on Sunday.
Speaking to CNN-News18, the Bengaluru South MP said, “In Congress, it’s not enough to be secular, you have to be anti-Hindu.”
Surya claimed that Srinivas Murthy was denied a ticket because he protected other communities in a minority seat and was not anti-Hindu. “Akhanda Srinivas Murthy was not given a ticket because he is not Anti-Hindu. He protected other communities in minority seats and that’s why he is denied a ticket,” he said.
According to Surya, despite winning with a massive lead of 18,000 votes in the last election, Srinivas Murthy was denied a ticket ahead of the Karnataka assembly elections.
He also accused prospective allies SDPI and Congress as the reason behind Murthy’s ticket denial ahead of the state assembly elections.
The claims came after senior BJP leader and Union Minister of State Shobha Karnadlaje alleged that as Chief Minister of the Congress government, Siddaramaiah assisted the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) by filing ‘B reports’ on cases against them, and released them from jail, in order to engage in “adjustment politics” with the SDPI and cater to the interests of a specific community.
On Sunday, Murthy told reporters that he resigned from his post in the Assembly and not from Congress. He further stated that he plans to consult with his supporters in order to determine his next steps.
Murthy, who was a victim of the DJ Halli and KG Halli violence in August 2020, in which his house was completely burnt down, said that even after the incident, people continued to live with him like family.
He alleged that those who were arrested in connection with the violence, and later released, were responsible for denying him a party ticket.
Murthy’s resignation from the state assembly has triggered speculations that he might join the BJP.
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