Karnataka BJP chief B Y Vijayendra slams CM Siddarmaiah over demand for PM Modi's resignation

Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the ruling Congress in the state, saying Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar should have resigned two years ago but expect Prime Minister Modi to step down over the recent fuel hike.

The remarks come after Siddaramaiah condemned the hike in petrol and diesel prices and called for Modi's resignation. The chief minister held Modi responsible for "failing" the people, mismanaging the economy, and pushing ordinary families into deeper hardship.

Vijayendra, rejecting Siddaramaiah's demands, said, "Does the Congress and other opposition parties in the country not know why the petrol and diesel prices are increasing? If they demand the Prime Minister's resignation for the hike in petrol and diesel, then Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar should have resigned two years ago."

Speaking to the media, he pointed out that the Congress government in the state increased petrol and diesel prices by hiking taxes without citing any reason.

"They have done it four to five times. How many times, then, should Siddaramaiah have resigned? Considering the situation globally and in the country, and the distress situation looming globally, the Prime Minister has advised certain things," Vijayendra said, urging the opposition not to oppose for the sake of it.

Petrol and diesel prices were each hiked by Rs 3 per litre on Friday, the first rate increase in more than four years as state-controlled oil companies deal with losses due to surging global crude prices in the wake of the West Asia conflict.

The hike comes only two weeks after the Assembly elections concluded in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry.

Vijayendra also dismissed claims the that price hike was deliberately held back for the elections to get over, saying PM Modi doesn't make any decision keeping elections in mind.

"Considering the interests of the country, the people, and the poor, he makes appropriate decisions at the right time," he added.