‘Won’t give tickets to Muslims as they don’t believe in us’, says Karnataka BJP leader

Bengaluru, Apr 02: Karnataka's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader K S Eshwarappa on Tuesday told members of Karuba and minority communities in Karnataka's Koppal district that Congress party use them only as "vote bank" but will never give them a ticket.

"We won't give Muslims tickets because you don't believe in us. Believe us and we'll give you tickets and other things," ANI quoted Eshwarappa as saying.

Karnataka sends 28 members to the Lok Sabha and will go to the polls in two phases, 14 constituencies each on April 18 and April 23. The votes will be counted on May 23.

The BJP will field its candidates in all the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka.

This is not the first time that Eshwarappa, a member of the Kuruba backward caste, has made a controversial statement against Muslims. He had alleged in January last year that Muslims who are with the Congress "are killers", while those linked with the BJP are "good Muslims".

"Muslims who have killed 22 RSS and BJP activists are with the Congress and those who are good Muslims are with the BJP. Muslims who are killers are with the Congress," he had said.