Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bengaluru on November 11, senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Monday questioned Modi’s contribution to Karnataka and said that Karnataka is visiting the state as assembly elections are fast approaching.
Questioning his silence on allegations of corruption against the BJP government in the state, the former chief minister asked that of “na khaoonga, na khane doga (neither I will indulge in corruption nor allow anyone else to indulge in it)”. What was the slogan? “Modi says there is a double engine government in Karnataka, but what has he done? When the flood came, he did not come, did not listen to the suffering of the people. Now, elections are near, he is coming,” Siddaramaiah said.
Talking to reporters here, he said, “What has he (Prime Minister) done regarding inflation, unemployment. After coming to power, politics of hatred increased. What has he done to fulfill the promise of doubling farmers’ income. In Karnataka, even 10 per cent of the promises made by the BJP have not been fulfilled. Alleging that Modi did not take any action against the ‘charge of 40 per cent commission against the BJP government in Karnataka’, despite a letter to him seeking action from the state contractors’ union, the Congressman asked, “Phir nahi”. What is the slogan of Khaunga, will I not eat?”
Modi will visit the state on November 11 to attend various events such as the inauguration of the second terminal of the Kempegowda International Airport, the unveiling of a 108-foot statue of the founder of the second terminal, Bengaluru, Nada Prabhu Kempegowda and flagging off Chennai. Mysore ‘Vande Bharat’ train, among others.
Appearing undecided about which constituency he will contest in the 2023 assembly elections in Karnataka, the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly indicated that he may not contest from his current seat – Badami. “I am under pressure to contest from Badami, thousands of women there have threatened to sit in front of my house to pressurize me, he wrote in a letter. The reason I am thinking so much is that, I will not be able to be in the constituency once a week, will not be able to meet the workers on daily basis and will not be able to listen and solve the issues, as I will have other work, Siddaramaiah said.
He said, “People are asking me to contest elections, but my conscience doesn’t tell me; it’s been two months since I came to Badami. I planned to go there tomorrow (Tuesday), but canceled it because I have There are other jobs.” There is also pressure to contest from Kolar, he said, adding, “My son (Varuna MLA Yatindra Siddaramaiah) is asking me to contest from Varuna (Siddaramaiah had previously represented this seat), and Chamarajpet MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan. Asking me to contest the election on my own. Our party will decide from where I contest the elections.”
Siddaramaiah has made it clear that he will not contest from Chamundeshwari. As the then chief minister, he lost the 2018 election in Chamundeshwari to JD(S) GT Deve Gowda by 36,042 votes.
However, he won from Badami from where he contested and defeated B Sriramulu (BJP) by 1,696 votes.
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