Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Challenges PM Modi To Prove Rs 700 Crore Allegations Or Resign

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated on Monday that he would retire from politics if Prime Minister Narendra Modi can prove his claim that the Congress government had raised Rs 700 crore for elections in poll-bound states.

Siddaramaiah also dared Modi to resign if he is unable to substantiate the allegations made during a speech in Akola, Maharashtra.

"I am astonished to see the Prime Minister of this country lying so frequently. While campaigning in Maharashtra, the Prime Minister said that the Congress in Karnataka had collected Rs 700 crore through the excise department to send to Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and for bypolls," Siddaramaiah said at an election rally in Shiggaon, Haveri district, on Sunday evening.

"Today, I challenge Narendra Modi: if he can prove these allegations, I will retire from politics. If he can't, then he should retire," the Chief Minister declared.

He added that when a Prime Minister makes such allegations, they should be based on facts, but these claims are far from the truth.

"This country has never seen a Prime Minister who lies so much in the history of independent India," he remarked.

During a public meeting in Akola, Maharashtra, Modi claimed, "In the name of elections in Maharashtra, extortion in Karnataka has doubled. While elections are in Maharashtra, extortion is happening both in Karnataka and Maharashtra. There are allegations that the Congress in Karnataka extorted Rs 700 crore from liquor shops."

Siddaramaiah's Criticism of Modi's Favoritism Towards Gujarat

Recently, Siddaramaiah sharply criticised PM Modi, accusing him of "relentless favouritism towards Gujarat," the Prime Minister's home state.

In a post on X, Siddaramaiah claimed that significant investments - including semiconductor plants and crucial manufacturing hubs - were being diverted from states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana to Gujarat with exclusive subsidies and incentives.

(With PTI inputs)