“Had PM Modi remembered the history of betrayal by his own party, he would certainly not have accused the Congress party of betrayal,” Siddaramaiah said in a statement.
He alleged that several regional parties that had allied with the BJP in the past were later sidelined or “betrayed”, naming the BSP, TMC, DMK, AIADMK, PDP, Shiv Sena, Akali Dal and National Conference.
“The list of Opposition leaders who were blackmailed into betraying their own parties and joining the BJP is also growing,” he said.
“The people of this country are laughing at the irony of PM Modi, the leader of such a treacherous party, accusing the Congress of betrayal,” Siddaramaiah added.
Addressing BJP workers in Bengaluru on Sunday, Modi had alleged that the Congress had betrayed its ally of “25-30 years” in Tamil Nadu at the first available opportunity.
Stepping up his attack on the BJP’s Karnataka unit, Siddaramaiah said the party resembled “crabs trapped in a basket”, with leaders pulling each other down and indulging in “political harakiri”.He claimed there were multiple factions within the BJP opposed to former chief minister BS Yediyurappa and his family. Despite “hundreds of allegations” against Yediyurappa by leaders within the party, Modi lacked the courage to initiate disciplinary action, the CM alleged.
On the current state of the Indian economy, Siddaramaiah questioned whether the Congress was responsible for the crises confronting the country. Referring to Modi’s earlier target of making India a $5-trillion economy by 2024-25, he said Modi was now urging people to reduce purchases of gold, cut petrol and edible oil consumption, avoid foreign travel and use fewer fertilisers. “He should clarify what kind of development this reflects.”
Siddaramaiah further said people were “mature enough” to understand that the hardships they face in daily life were the result of the country’s “confused foreign policy”.
