Poll heat in Karnataka: Yogi and Siddaramaiah spar on Twitter

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday engaged in a war of words on Twitter, signalling the beginning of a political battle between the Congress and the BJP in poll-bound Karnataka.

Hours after Adityanath entered the poll battleground with a massive rally in Bengaluru, Congress leader Siddaramaiah took to social media raking the issue of 'starvation deaths' in UP.

I welcome UP CM Shri @myogiadityanath to our state. There is a lot you can learn from us Sir. When you are here please visit a Indira Canteen & a ration shop. It will help you address the starvation deaths sometimes reported from your state. #YogiInBengaluru https://t.co/lj0m4fMphC — Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 7, 2018

Responding to the jibe, the UP chief minister tweeted back, reminding Siddaramiah of the high number of farmer suicides in the state:

Thank you for the welcome @siddaramaiah ji. I heard number of farmers committing suicide in Karnataka was highest in your regime, not to mention the numerous deaths and transfer of honest officers. As UP CM I am working to undo the misery and lawlessness unleashed by your allies. — Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) January 7, 2018

While addressing the rally, BJP leader Adityanath accused Siddaramaiah of intermixing religion and politics and following the footsteps of Congress President Rahul Gandhi ahead of the assembly polls in Gujarat.

He further questioned Siddaramaiah on why he was "endorsing beef eaters" if he was a Hindu.

In an earlier tweet, Siddaramaiah had said, "Yogi Adityanath should first get rid of Jungle Raj in Uttar Pradesh and save children who are dying in the hospital. Let us understand then," he tweeted in Kannada.

Assembly elections in Karnataka is expected to be held in the first half of 2018. 

With agency inputs