The Sampadak Express News Desk
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Sunday accused Congress leaders in Karnataka of using media coverage of alleged sting operations as a diversion from the State government’s failures, speaking at a campaign meeting in Shejwad village in Uttar Kannada for Legislative Council candidate S.V. Sankanur, The Hindu reported.
Mr. Joshi said the administration was targeting people who circulated sting videos rather than those allegedly involved. “Instead of catching those who are involved in such sting operations, the State government is catching those who posted the videos,” he said.
He alleged that when Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy sought to submit documents related to such operations, the Congress government moved to arrest Mr. Kumaraswamy’s supporters instead of pursuing the “real accused.”
Mr. Joshi further claimed the Congress was aligning with “traitors and betrayers” and alleged a foreign-funded conspiracy to create anarchy and destabilise the BJP-led Union government. He also predicted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would secure a fourth term in 2029.
Arguing that the Congress is weakened nationally, he said the party has little or no presence in several States. He cited its absence from power in West Bengal since 1977, the long period before 2026 without a single Congress minister in Tamil Nadu, and decades without forming governments in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
Mr. Joshi also accused Congress leaders, including Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, of treating former Karnataka Legislative Council chairman Basavaraj Horatti unfairly. He said Mr. Horatti, a 78-year-old who has won eight elections, was “forced” to resign and has stated that 20 MLAs pressured him to do so. Mr. Joshi added that an NDA government would come to power in Karnataka in 2028.
Former MLA Rupali Naik appealed to Mr. Joshi to address youth unemployment in the district. According to The Hindu, BJP leaders including district unit president N.S. Hegde, former Minister Anand Asnotikar, MLC Lingaraj Patil and others, as well as JD(S) leader Suraj Nayak Soni, attended the event.
