Siddaramaiah lashes out at PM Modi for ‘infighting’ comment on Congress

PTI, Sep 27, 2024, 8:14 AM IST

Siddaramaiah (Credit: PTI / File)

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his statement that the Congress spends time in infighting.

Siddaramaiah asked if Modi has misread the media reports and spoke on Congress whereas it is the BJP where infighting is maximum.

“PM Modi, don’t throw stones while sitting in a glass house. There’s no need to worry about infighting in our party. Whenever we have come to power, we’ve always completed the full term,” Siddaramaiah said in a statement.

He was reacting to Modi’s statement, who had attacked the Congress saying if it comes to power in Haryana even by mistake, stability and development will be at stake because of its “infighting” and this will ruin the state

Siddaramaiah said Modi has ‘recklessly’ claimed that there is infighting within Karnataka Congress.

It seems the Prime Minister misread the recent media reports and confused the names of the parties, thinking it was Congress when it was actually BJP, the Chief Minister quipped.

He request the PM to issue a clarification and correct this misunderstanding.

“Just as communalism runs in BJP’s blood, so does internal conflict. These days, not a day goes by without Karnataka BJP leaders attacking each other. Every day, BJP leaders entertain the public with a soap opera of accusations, blame games, and insults,” Siddaramaiah said.

He said there is infighting raging within the BJP.

“Your party MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal starts his day by accusing former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and his family of corruption amounting to thousands of crores (of rupees). Supporting these claims, other MLAs like Ramesh Jarkiholi and C T Ravi have also made various accusations against Yediyurappa and his children,” Siddaramaiah charged.

Recently, ousted BJP leader Eshwarappa held a meeting with dissenting MLAs at his residence, he added.

Was this infighting, or just ‘sweet nothings,’ the Chief Minister sought to know.

Infighting within Karnataka BJP is not a new phenomenon’, it has a long history, Siddaramaiah said adding the people of Karnataka have never given the BJP a full majority.

Even when the BJP managed to come to power through ‘Operation Lotus’, using ‘illicit funds’, no Chief Minister completed a full term.

From 2008 to 2013, BJP had three different CMs, and from 2019 to 2023, there were two whereas Congress has no role in this; these are the consequences of their own doing, Siddaramaiah said.

He sought to remind Modi of Yediyurappa’s imprisonment in 2011, which according g to him, was due to infighting within the former’s own party.

Siddaramaiah said he is the second Chief Minister after Devaraj Urs to have completed a full five-year term, and he is serving a second time.

“Despite your ongoing attempts to stir conflict within us, we remain united,” he said.