Siddaramaiah faces ire after video of luxury jet goes viral; Karnataka CM hits back with dig at PM Modi

'When there are a number of regular commercial flights available between Delhi to Bengaluru, travelling in a luxury flight is not good,' said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.

New Delhi: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi on Friday criticised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for using a luxury private jet during his visit to the national capital to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek funds to take up relief works in drought hit areas.

"I am shocked with the attitude of the Chief Minister. Though the CM claimed that he came to Delhi to meet the PM to seek funds, his main purpose was to discuss the appointment of boards and corporations. When he is not able to give money to farmers, he is exhibiting his elite lifestyle," said Joshi.

"When there are a number of regular commercial flights available between Delhi to Bengaluru, travelling in a luxury flight is not good,” he added.

“The CM is more keen on showing off his elite lifestyle instead of giving drought relief funds to farmers,” he said.

Siddaramaiah used a private jet hired by the Government of Karnataka while returning to Bengaluru on December 20 after concluding his three-day visit to the national capital. Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan was flaunting his pictures with CM Siddaramaiah in the jet.

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Chief Minister Political Secretary Govindaraju and few personal staff were seen travelling in the 14-seater private jet.

Taking dig at Siddaramaiah, BJP IT Cell in-charge, Amit Malaviya, posted the video on his X and commented that , “On the one hand, Congress is pretending to crowdfund and didn’t even serve samosas in I.N.D.I Alliance meeting, on the other, Zameer Ahmed Khan, Cabinet Minister for Housing, Waqf and Minority Affairs in Karnataka Govt, is flaunting his pictures with CM Siddaramaiah in a private jet. They apparently had ‘happy moments’ traveling together to Delhi, to seek funds for drought relief. Irony died a million times. Karnataka is reeling under mis-governance but Congress’s loot must continue.”

Hitting back at those criticising him, the Karnataka Chief Minister said "How does Narendra Modi travel? You tell me first. Please ask this question to the BJP people – which plane Narendra Modi travels in? He travels alone. Why does he travel alone? BJP leaders will keep saying something silly."