Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, May 21: Former minister, Roshan Baig, who is considered to be a staunch Congressman with sway over a section of Muslim votes, sprang a surprise by giving a call to Muslims to join hands with the BJP if it serves their needs.

In what is being termed as subtle hint of his intention to cross over to the BJP, a decision perhaps arising out of the prediction given in the exit polls, Roshan Bag said he is appealing to the Muslims to compromise with the current situation. He squarely blamed Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Dinesh Gundu Rao, and other Congress legislature party leaders including former chief minister, Siddaramaiah, for sloppy, miserable poll campaign.

He said that if the NDA is coming back to power, he would appeal to the Muslim brothers to learn to compromise with the situation. He was replying to question raised by some media persons. When the media persons wanted to know whether he wants them to join hands with the BJP, he said that if the need is felt, they should do so, duly pointing out that the Congress had given ticket to just one Muslim leader in the recent election.

He said that there is no need to remain loyal to a single party, duly noting that in spite of the unflinching support extended by Muslims to Congress, that party was not willing to issue party ticket to more than one Muslim leader in the entire state. "If the circumstances so warrant, I will quit the party as the Muslims cannot live in disgrace when remaining loyal to a single party," he clarified, when questioned whether he would leave the Congress in near future.

"We do not want to remain in places where we are not respected. We want to live with dignity and self respect. If we are not respected, we do not want to stay there. If someone extends love and affection, we are ready to join them," he explained.

To another query on whom he holds responsible for the present state of Muslims in the state , Baig took the name of KPCC president, Dinesh Gundu Rao and other Congress legislature party leaders. He also advised these leaders who were soaring high, to realize the ground realities.

Baig said he was not surprised by the results of the exit polls. "I knew since the start that Congress would not fare well. The flop poll campaign is entirely responsible for this state of affairs," he commented.