K'taka: Political tussle escalates as BJP, Congress set to hold rallies on coinciding date

Madikeri (Karnataka) [India], August 20 : The political tussle between BJP and Congress has intensified in Karnataka as both the parties are all set to organise rallies on the same date in the same place this month.
The BJP will hold a Janajagruti rally on August 26 in Madikeri while Opposition Congress will hold a 'Madikeri Chalo' program on the same day.
BJP District President Robin Devaiah has given a statement that the convention will be held at Gandhi Maidan at 11 am on Friday, while Congress leader Siddaramaiah will participate in the party programme.
The developments come amid the war of words between both the parties over Siddaramaiah's remark on VD Savarkar.
The BJP has reacted sharply to Siddaramaiah's statement in which he said "why was Savarkar's poster put up in Muslim area?"
Siddaramaiah had to face protests during his visit to Kodagu where he alleged that eggs were thrown at him and black flags were shown to him.
The Kushalanagar police have arrested the accused in connection with the incident. The person has been identified as Sampath.
Before being arrested, Sampath claimed that he was a supporter of former minister Jeevijaya and had recently joined Congress.
"I am a supporter of former minister Jeevijaya and recently joined the Congress along with Jeevijaya," he told the media before his arrest.
When Sampath came to surrender in the Kushalanagar court, the police arrested him. "I came to Guddehosuru that day for personal work and I was enraged by Siddaramaiah's anti-Hindu remarks, that's why I threw an egg at former CM Siddaramaiah's car," the accused stated.
Siddaramaiah hit back and said that the BJP is trying to portray the accused who threw the eggs as a Congress worker.
"If the accused is a Congress worker, then why did BJP MLA Appachchu Ranjan go to the police station late at night and rescue him?" he asked.
Siddaramaiah, who made a series of tweets with the picture said, "Did you get him released on the condition that he will be released from the police only if he claims to be from the Congress?"
Expressing outrage over the Karnataka BJP trying to prove its own party worker as a Congressman, he compared the move to Operation Kamala (lotus).
"We thought that 'Operation Kamala' is only for MLAs. It has been proved in Madikeri that now street thugs will also be included in 'Operation Kamala'," he said.
'All such dramas of BJP are outdated. If the egg thrower is a Congressman, send him to jail first. "Why are you protecting him?" Siddaramaiah challenged.