Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah (L); Narendra Modi (R).
Credit: PTI Photos
Mysuru: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Mysuru and Mangaluru on April 14 to campaign for Lok Sabha polls, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday asked the former to explain what he did for Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, 'Let him (Modi) come (to Mysuru). We don’t have any objection if Modi comes and goes because he is a prime minister.
"Let him (Modi) do it (election campaigning) but he should explain what he has done for the people of Karnataka, and to address unemployment, injustice to Karnataka in tax devolution and zero compensation given to the state to mitigate drought," he demanded.
Later, addressing a public gathering during a road show called ‘Janadhwani Yatra’ in Mysuru, the chief minister lashed out at the prime minister and questioned about his promise of bringing back black money stashed abroad, doubling the income of farmers, creating two crore jobs per year and reducing the price of diesel, petrol, gas and fertilisers.
"Indians were constantly deceived and cheated through many lies. Would you mind voting for someone who cheated you for 10 years," the chief minister asked the crowd.
Highlighting the contributions made by the Congress for the development of Mysuru city, he said every intelligent person in the town knows who built the Jayadeva Hospital, women and children's hospital, schools and hostels.
Siddaramaiah said the BJP also had the opportunity to do as much work as Congress did as people gave them a chance, which they missed.
He asked people to vote for the Congress candidate for Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha constituency M Lakshmana who will have a direct fight with BJP’s candidate and scion of Mysuru royal family, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar.
"People of Mysore-Kodagu gave an opportunity to the BJP by electing MPs and MLAs but no one including prime minister and chief ministers did any work for the development of the constituency. Now they are just changing the candidate and asking for votes," Siddaramaiah alleged.
He wondered how Modi would face the voters as he did nothing for Mysuru.
"Modi is visiting Mysuru tomorrow. With what face will he ask for votes? Let Modi and his MPs show what they have done for Mysuru. After riding on lies for 10 years, with what face will Modi visit the state?" the chief minister asked.
Karnataka is going to the polls in two phases. While 14 Lok Sabha segments in the southern parts of the state will vote on April 26, the remaining 14 constituencies in the northern parts will vote in the second phase on May 7.