Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charge that the Congress leader was indulging in dynasty politics and contesting from two seats because he was afraid of losing.
“Was it fear that drove you to contest from 2 parliamentary constituencies (Varanasi & Vadodara) Mr. PM @narendramodi?” asked Siddaramaiah on Twitter referring to the PM’s decision in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
“Of course you are a 56 inch man, you would have some clever explanation!!” he wrote taking a dig at the PM.
Siddaramaiah also claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would not be able to cross the 70-seat mark in the 224-seat Karnataka assembly.
“Forget 2 seats, Sir. Worry about the fact that your party will not cross 60-70!” he wrote.
Was it fear that drove you to contest from 2 parliamentary constituencies (Varanasi & Vadodara) Mr. PM @narendramodi ? Of course you are a 56 inch man, you would have some clever explanation!!
Forget 2 seats, Sir. Worry about the fact that your party will not cross 60-70! https://t.co/Hr3V5x6sDE
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 1, 2018
The Congress also countered the PM’s charge with a meme showing BJP’s CM candidate BS Yeddyurappa with the Reddy brothers. Siddaramaiah retweeted the Congress’ tweet while adding: “Today PM avoided talking about his complicity in closing CBI cases against the Reddy bros. Instead he spoke about some 2+1 formula.”
BJP’s ‘Corruption Formula’ to Loot Karnataka
2 + 1 = 2 Reddys and 1 Yeddy
Why don’t you talk about this formula Modi ಅವರೇ? #2Reddy1Yeddy pic.twitter.com/K8JRhVA16f
— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 1, 2018
Today PM avoided talking about his complicity in closing CBI cases against the Reddy bros. Instead he spoke about some 2+1 formula.
Here is the explanation to his formula to win election. 2 Reddys + 1 Yeddy.#2Reddy1Yeddy https://t.co/FozyhwOyHA
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 1, 2018
Addressing a rally in the poll-bound southern state on Tuesday, PM Modi attacked Siddaramaiah over the CM’s decision to contest from both Badami and Chamundeshwari while vacating the Varuna seat for his son Yatindra.
Modi said the decision was the CM’s “political innovation” in line with the Congress’ family politics.
“I read about the 2+1 formula in Karnataka,” Modi said referring to Siddaramaiah’s decision.
“Kabhi kabhi jagne wale zyadara sonewale yahan ke mukhyamantri ka ye political innovation (This is the political innovation of the sometimes-awake-mostly-sleeping CM)” said PM Modi.
“Fearing defeat, he is running helter-skelter. He has now put his son up for sacrifice from the seat from where he won previously. He now dreams of letting the family legacy run from any of the seats,” the PM alleged while adding that even the ministers in the current government are going for a 1+1 formula.
The PM also said he understood the sentiments of workers of the Congress who might not be happy with such decisions “but they can’t speak before the naamdar (dynasts)”, taking a dig at Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
At Santhemarahalli, around 163 kilometres from Bengaluru, the PM also threw down the gauntlet at Rahul Gandhi asking him to speak in any language for 15 minutes about the achievements of his party in Karnataka without reading from a paper.
He took a specific dig at Sonia Gandhi and her foreign origin as he said Rahul could even choose to speak in his mother’s mother tongue if he was willing to take the challenge.
Read More: PM Modi takes dig at Rahul Gandhi, issues a different 15-minute challenge