Modi is 'Dhongi' PM, says Siddaramaiah

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah on Monday dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “dhongi” (fake) and called upon Congress workers to ensure the party’s victory in the upcoming BBMP elections.

“With all due respect, Narendra Modi is a dhongi PM. He said ‘Achche Din’ will come. Did they come?” Siddaramaiah questioned at a convention of party workers in the Jayanagar assembly constituency here.

“When Manmohan Singh was the PM, the excise duty on diesel was Rs 3.46 and on petrol Rs 9.20. Why did Modi increase it? The Centre has earned Rs 26 lakh crore from excise duty alone,” the Congress leader charged.

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“Isn’t this a dhongi government that’s sucking the blood of citizens?” he sought to know.

The former chief minister also accused the BJP government in the state of discrimination while allocating funds to assembly segments in Bengaluru.

“I allocated Rs 316 crore to Jayanagar in 2017-18 when I was the CM. Now, in three years, the BJP has allocated Rs 122 crore,” Siddaramaiah said.

“Under the Nagarotthana scheme, which is taxpayers’ money, 15 BJP MLAs have been given Rs 9,890 crore whereas the 12 Congress MLAs got Rs 2,165 crore. Why this discrimination?” he asked.

“The BBMP elections may be held in August,” Siddaramaiah said, as he asked party workers to go door-to-door to tell citizens about the BJP’s “failures”.

The event also saw the induction of local leaders in the Shakambarinagar and Byrasandra wards.