PTI - pics - Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore,May 26: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday took strong exception to the remarks made by Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Siddaramaiah terming his ‘home stay programme’ in villages as “the main election manifesto” for the Ullal bypoll.

“These leaders are making my village stay as a main plank for the June 2 ullal assembly elections as they have not been able to take up any of the development works during their reign,” he told reporters at Thokkuttu on the city outskirts.

Kumaraswamy alleged that Kharge had rejected his invitation to come and stay with him in villages fearing the wrath of people as the Congress had totally failed to redress the problems of the people.

Reacting to Congress leaders' statements, he said his government was “not a sleeping government”. Instead, “it is the Congress party which has made the people sleepy, with no concern for their problems”.

Kumaraswamy appealed to the people to elect his party candidate in the Ullal by-elections to bring down the curtain on communal disturbances in the region.

He reiterated that he would be touring Chamarajnagar district from May 27, which had remained unvisited by any Chief Minister for over 17 years.

To a query, Kumaraswamy said he welcomed the announcement made by deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa about adopting Ullal if the BJP candidate won the by-elections.

“At least the BJP has come to know the necessity of making such statements,” he said.