Bengaluru: “Roshan Baig is our senior leader. He will not leave the Congress and join BJP. At one point of time, the BJP tried to foist false cases against him and put him in jail. They tried to finish off his political career,” said U T Kader, a state minister.
“K C Venugopal is a buffoon, I feel sorry for him, I feel sorry for my leader Sri Rahul Gandhi ji… Buffoons like Venugopal and arrogant attitude of Siddaramaiah and the flop show president Dinesh Gundu Rao…the result is this,” the Senior Karnataka Congress leader Roshan Baig had accused earlier in the week. He had even urged Muslims to join hands with the BJP if there arises a need.
His attack comes after the exit polls predicted a rout for the Congress-JD(S) alliance in the State and that NDA would return to power at the Centre. Baig was denied ticket to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and he was apparently unhappy about it.
Following this, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee issued a show cause notice to Baig seeking explanation in a week for his remarks that has been considered as anti-party activity.
However, yesterday, Karnataka minister U T Kader assured that Baig will not join the BJP as it had once conspired to end his political career. “It was the Congress who saved him from BJP’s conspiracy. The Congress brought him back and made him a leader.” Kader was apparently referring to the 2004 multi-crore fake stamp paper scam, in which Baig faced allegations of his involvement.
He was forced to resign from the S M Krishna government. The BJP had sought his arrest and filing of criminal cases against him after prime accused in the scam, Abdul Karim Telgi, revealed his political links in Karnataka before the investigation team.