Siddaramaiah gives it back to PM Narendra Modi, calls BJP ‘prison, price rise and pakoda’ party

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Saturday hit back at PM Narendra Modi and called BJP a ‘prison, price rise and pakoda’ party.

BENGALURU: In a sharp rebuttal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday flayed his 'PPP Congress' remarks and said that the BJP was synonymous with 'prison', 'price rise' and 'pakoda' party.

The veteran Karnataka leader said this in response to Prime Minister Modi's jibe at the Congress that after the Karnataka assembly elections the party would become a regional one called 'PPP Congress'—Punjab, Puducherry and Parivar Congress.

The astute Congress politician took to Twitter and responded to PM Modi with an equally hard-hitting tweet.

Dear Modi ಅವರೇ,

Heard you spun a new abbreviation ‘PPP’ today.

Sir, we have always championed the 3 Ps of democracy - ‘Of the People, By the People, For the People’.

While your party is a ‘Prison’, ‘Price Rise’ & ‘Pakoda’ party.

Am I right, Sir?#NijaHeliModi — Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 5, 2018

"Heard you spun a new abbreviation ‘PPP’ today. Sir, we have always championed the 3 Ps of democracy - ‘Of the People, By the People, For the People’. While your party is a ‘Prison’, ‘Price Rise’ & ‘Pakoda’ party. Am I right, Sir?", he tweeted.

The reply from Siddaramaiah minutes after PM Modi mounted a scathing attack on the Congress over corruption and asserted that it will become "Punjab, Puducherry, Parivar" Congress after its defeat in the Karnataka Assembly polls.

With the D-day for the polls drawing closer, Modi upped the ante against the Siddaramaiah government, alleging it has become a "corruption tank" for the Congress with a pipeline connected to Delhi, "where the money reaches directly".

Training his guns at the apex Congress leadership, the PM also accused the Congress top brass of auctioning tickets, party positions and even the Chief Minister's post.

"After May 15 (when poll results will be declared), Indian National Congress will be reduced to 'PPP Congress'-- P for Punjab, P for Puducherry, and P for Parivar (family)," Modi roared during an election rally in Gadag.

During the rally, the PM predicted that the Congress party would be decimated in the elections.

While accusing Congress of "auctioning" party tickets and posts, the PM recalled how a string of scams rocked the erstwhile UPA government.

"After the helicopter scam, coal scam, CWG scam and many others, the Congress has now started a tender system... There is tender for ticket distribution, for selecting leaders, for choosing even the Chief Minister.

"Their leaders in Karnataka have been told by those above them that the person who promises to send the highest amount of money to Delhi every month will become the chief minister," he alleged.

Modi said despite a string of electoral losses in Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Tripura the Congress was not as worried as it is now when defeat stares it in the face.

"I tell you why... Because their ministers and leaders in Karnataka have built a tank here. A part of money looted from people is taken home and the rest is put in that tank. The tank is linked to Delhi through a pipeline which carries the money directly to Delhi.

"They are worried about what will happen to the party if this government goes. Be alert, be awake. If the Congress comes to power, its government will do nothing but loot," he said.

Modi said to fill the "corruption tank", the Congress has created a network of extortion mafia, and it is worried what will happen to that.

With just a week left for May 12 assembly polls in Karnataka, the two main political parties – BJP and Congress - have stepped up attack on each other with their leaders not refraining from making personal attacks on their rivals.  

Amid escalating war of words between the two parties, the BJP on Saturday released what it called ''Sins of Congress'' alleging rampant corruption during its tenure in the southern state.

In a series of tweets, the Karnataka unit of the BJP said with one scam after another, it is evident that the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government has been involved in loot and plunder during the past five years which is 'simply mind-boggling.'

Reminding the voters of the 'Sins Of Congress', the BJP also appealed them not to forget these scams when they get out to vote on May 12.

The BJP's tweets were in response to a video titled "Karnataka's Most Wanted" that was shared by Rahul Gandhi on his Twitter account which mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party BJP. 

(With Agency inputs)