<p>Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who has been at the receiving end of criticism in the last few days, hit out at his detractors, especially the BJP, on Thursday.<br /><br />He chose a briefing to the media after a review meeting to assess the drought situation in the State to take a swipe at his detractors. </p>.<p>He rubbished the BJP’s petition to Governor H R Bhardwaj that he direct the government to act on the problems plaguing the State. “The BJP is only playing politics,” he said.<br /><br />Siddaramaiah said the government had been constantly monitoring the drought situation in the State since October last and had put in place long-term measures to mitigate the drinking water shortage. <br /><br />He also took a dig at BJP leaders R Ashoka, Shobha Karandlaje and D V Sadananda Gowda for their recent statements against his government. <br /><br />On Ashoka condemning the recent hikes in bus fares, Siddaramaiah said it was during the former’s tenure as transport minister that the two transport corporations faced huge losses. </p>.<p>He said it was the BJP government which had cleared the toll agreement for the airport road. <br /><br />“It is ironical that the BJP leaders are protesting the toll hike. They have no shame,” he said.<br /><br />He said Energy Minister D K Shivakumar was ready for a public debate with Shobha Karandlaje on the power scenario in the State, and alleged mismanagement of the sector during the BJP regime.<br /><br /> He said it was during Sadandana Gowda’s tenure as chief minister that the government had given clearance for the high-tension transmission line from Mysore to Kozhikode in Kerala via Kodagu district. But today, the BJP leaders were feigning ignorance, he said.<br /><br />He termed as baseless the Opposition charges that the government had slid into slumber due to the model code of conduct. <br /><br />When reminded that it was Governor Bhardwaj who had made the statement, he said he had never spoken to him on the issue.</p>
<p>Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who has been at the receiving end of criticism in the last few days, hit out at his detractors, especially the BJP, on Thursday.<br /><br />He chose a briefing to the media after a review meeting to assess the drought situation in the State to take a swipe at his detractors. </p>.<p>He rubbished the BJP’s petition to Governor H R Bhardwaj that he direct the government to act on the problems plaguing the State. “The BJP is only playing politics,” he said.<br /><br />Siddaramaiah said the government had been constantly monitoring the drought situation in the State since October last and had put in place long-term measures to mitigate the drinking water shortage. <br /><br />He also took a dig at BJP leaders R Ashoka, Shobha Karandlaje and D V Sadananda Gowda for their recent statements against his government. <br /><br />On Ashoka condemning the recent hikes in bus fares, Siddaramaiah said it was during the former’s tenure as transport minister that the two transport corporations faced huge losses. </p>.<p>He said it was the BJP government which had cleared the toll agreement for the airport road. <br /><br />“It is ironical that the BJP leaders are protesting the toll hike. They have no shame,” he said.<br /><br />He said Energy Minister D K Shivakumar was ready for a public debate with Shobha Karandlaje on the power scenario in the State, and alleged mismanagement of the sector during the BJP regime.<br /><br /> He said it was during Sadandana Gowda’s tenure as chief minister that the government had given clearance for the high-tension transmission line from Mysore to Kozhikode in Kerala via Kodagu district. But today, the BJP leaders were feigning ignorance, he said.<br /><br />He termed as baseless the Opposition charges that the government had slid into slumber due to the model code of conduct. <br /><br />When reminded that it was Governor Bhardwaj who had made the statement, he said he had never spoken to him on the issue.</p>
