BJP’s Karnataka president, Nalin Kumar Kateel, has yet again made a contentious statement against former Chief Minister Siddaramiah, this time, calling him a ‘Villian’. While speaking to the BJP Karyakartas in northern district of Gadag, Kateel said, "from 2013-18, there was a villain’s government in the state. Who was the villain? Siddaramaiah." Justifying his allegation, Kateel then added, ‘ Why? Because he did not shed a tear when 24 Hindu Karyakartas were killed. He broke up religions and castes. I can't mention the other things he did. Didn't he break up the society? Isn't he a villain then?’

'HD Kumaraswamy- a side actor': Kateel 

Siddaramiah was not his only target, the newly-appointed BJP president then took a dig at ex-chief minister, HD Kumaraswamy too. "Then came a part-time CM who was a side actor. One side there was DK Shivakumar, the other HD Devegowda and then the villain and amongst all of them, the CM was a side actor," he said. Hailing the new chief minister and his predecessor, Kateel claimed, "Now finally we have a hero's government, BS Yediyurappa government. This is what you (Karyakartas) have given the state."

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JDS national spokesperson Tanveer Ahmed:

Reacting to Kateel’s statement, JDS national spokesperson Tanveer Ahmed said, "Nalin Kumar Kateel is ill-informed on a lot of things. He had said that DK Shivakumar was arrested because of Siddaramiah which clearly showed he doesn't understand how the constitutional bodies function. Kateel is a person who has been given a big job that he certainly doesn't deserve, so just stay relevant, he needs to make statements like these."

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Karnataka BJP chose to downplay the stir created by state unit president’s words saying it was a political statement and the opposition needs to develop a sense of humour in dealing with their frustration of having lost their government in Karnataka. Kateel, who is a member of the parliament from Dakshina Kannada, is no stranger to controversies. Just last week, he had accused Siddaramiah of being the reason for DK Shivakumar’s ED woes, an allegation that the former CM dismissed as ‘idiotic’. In the past as well, he has made questionable claims which sometimes lead to retraction after being pulled up by party seniors. While campaigning for Lok Sabha elections, he had said, "Godse killed just one. Ajmal Kasab killed 72. Rajiv Gandhi killed 17,000. You decide who is most cruel in this."

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