As BJP seeks to regain its supremacy in Karnataka, party President Amit Shah today launched an offensive against the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, calling it "non-performing", corrupt and "defunct" with "abysmal" failure in governance and law and order.

The Siddaramaiah government had "failed" to inclusively represent the cause of 6.2 crore people and instead indulged in "sectarian populism", Shah alleged at a press conference after the party's core committee meeting here.

The most recent example has been the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill of 2014 which was introduced in the Assembly but withdrawn after opposition from BJP, he said.

The bill had come in for attack from seers of mutts who feared it was an attempt to take over their institutions.

Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Protection Bill of 2010 and its amended 2012 version which was awaiting the President's assent was withdrawn "hurriedly" during a protest by BJP, to further their sectarian agenda, Shah said.

After losing its first-ever government in the South in the Assembly polls, BJP had staged a remarkable comeback in the Lok Sabha elections, winning 17 of the 28 seats, leaving nine to Congress and two to JD(S). The party is now seeking to increase the gains, eyeing the next Assembly elections.

Shah also alleged Karnataka's economy has crippled under the "misrule" of Congress. Under the BJP rule, Karnataka's growth rate was more than 10 per cent which has now come down to around five per cent, he added.

Claiming that the enthusiasm of people of Karnataka to join BJP is "overwhelming", he said almost 20,000 people are becoming members of the party each day. "BJP will achieve its target of one crore members in the state by March 2015."



Shah said Bengaluru has been shocked and shaken by the recent blast which took place on December 29, claiming the life of a 38-year-old woman and injuring three others.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh swiftly responded to the situation by immediately taking the initiative of calling the Chief Minister and offering NIA assistance in probing the incident and nabbing those responsible, Shah said.

"We however do not wish to politicise acts of terrors and believe that we as a civil society, as a nation, as Indians need to fight terrorism unitedly. I also offer my heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased Bhavani," he said.