Karnataka polls: "Modi is morally unfit to be PM": Siddaramaiah lashes out

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Siddaramaiah government of corruption, the Karnataka Chief Minister lashed out, deeming Modi unfit to be Prime Minister. Responding to PM Modi's allegations during the conclusion of the Parivartana yatra, Siddaramaiah said that the Prime Minister was facilitating corruption.

"PM Modi has only peddled lies about our government. He didn't speak like a Prime Minister. He is facilitating and supporting corruption. In my opinion he is morally unfit to be Prime Minister," Siddaramaiah said on Monday.

While Narendra Modi limited his allegations to Congress government as an entity, Siddaramaiah charged directly at the Prime Minister, essentially positioning himself as the opponent to take on directly in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018. In a no holds barred attack, Siddaramaiah said that the countdown to dethrone Modi government had begun.

"How many ever rallies he (PM Modi) holds and how many ever communal riots Amit Shah engineers, people of Karnataka have already made up their minds to vote Congress back to power. The countdown for Modi government has in fact begun," Siddaramaiah said. The Karnataka chief minister questioned PM Modi's silence over corruption charges against B S Yeddyurappa, Mahadayi row, Ananth Kumar Hegde's statements over changing the constitution.

"Karnataka contributes 38 per cent to country's total IT & BT exports. We stand number 1 in silk production and investments. Karnataka was the first state to announce a multisector startup policy, introduce online marketing in 157 APMCs which has led to 38 per cent increase in farmer incomes," Siddaramaiah said quoting a NITI aayog report, in an attempt to puncture PM Modi's questions over development in Karnataka under the Congress government.

PM Modi during his speech had referred to Siddaramaiah government as a "10 per cent commission government", a claim that Siddaramaiah, accompanied by a host of ministers including U T Khader, K J George, Roshan Baig, D K Shivakumar, Ramalinga Reddy, vehemently opposed in a press conference on Monday.

"Taxes collected from Karnataka amount to 9.47 per cent of total tax- the third highest across the country- but we only get 4.65 per cent as our share," Siddaramaiah said countering claims of PM Modi that the union government had given the state close to Rs 2 lakh crore.

"According to 14th finance commission, in the last three years, Karnataka should have received Rs 95,200 crores but we have received only Rs 84500 crore. They (BJP) lie about giving Rs 2 lakh crore," the Karnataka Chief Minister said.

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