Bengaluru: The BJP and the Congress sparred on Wednesday over the disruption of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s speech at a convention recently by the BJP’s women workers.

In response to a warning by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President, D.K. Shivakumar, that he would not allow a single BJP meeting to be held in the state, following the disruption of the CM’s speech, the state BJP pointed out that Siddaramaiah had once shown a black flag to late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and had still been absorbed into the Congress.

The BJP questioned whether Dy CM Shivakumar would dare to expel CM Siddara-maiah from the party because of his past act. Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, stated on Wednesday that, “Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was shown black flags by Siddaramaiah — do you have the guts to expel him from the party, Mr. D.K. Shiva-kumar?”

“Is your so-called might and capacity only limited to delivering dialogues in front of the media, like iron melting before a furnace, Mr. Shivakumar?” Ashoka taunted.

“You have threatened that you won’t allow even a single BJP event to be held in the state. If you truly have the strength, then try removing CM Siddaramaiah — the very person who once showed black flags to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi — from the Chief Minister’s post and expel him from your party,” he demanded.

“When your party’s supreme leader (late Indira Gandhi) was the Prime Minister, you brought in a person who had shown black flags to her, allowed him to join the Con-gress party, made him Chief Minister twice, and are now enjoying power under his shadow. What moral right do you have to threaten the BJP for holding protests?” Ashoka questioned.