PM, Yogi are North Indian imports: Siddaramaiah

Mysuru: Asked how the Congress intended to counter Prime Minister Narendra Modi's six rounds of campaigning through the state, ahead of the polls and BJP national president, Amit Shah's plans to visit it five times more, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah speaking in Mysuru said Congress president, Rahul Gandhi would campaign for a week in Karnataka. "Moreover, their coming here will not make any impact on people of the Karnataka," he contended.

Mocking at the Karnataka BJP unit, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath "North Indian imports" in the May 12 election campaign and said it had no leaders in the state.  

Siddaramaiah said in a tweet that BJP's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa had been reduced to a "dummy." "@BJP4Karnataka by waiting for North Indian imports like PM Modi, UPCM Adityanath is admitting they have no leaders in the state. They have reduced their CM face @BSYBJP to a dummy," Siddaramaiah tweeted. 

He further said the Prime Minister may come and go, but here it is a battle between him and and Yeddyurappa, and the" saffron party knows who is winning in the May 12 Assembly polls. In a blistering attack over Siddaramaiah's "imports" comment, the BJP said his attempt to divide North and South India is "disgusting" and added it understands his anxiety of being""rejected" by his constituents. 

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"Imports? How much low can you stoop Mr. CM? Your attempt at North-South divide is disgusting. But we understand your anxiety. While you are rejected by your own constituents, PM Modi has a pan India appeal. It's time you learn a thing or "two about leadership when he's here," BJP tweeted.

Indirectly hitting out at Sonia Gandhi, the BJP asked Siddaramaiah what he had to say about occupants of 10, Janpath, when he is calling Modi and Adityanath as North Indian imports. "Well, speaking of imports, what do you have to say about the occupants of 10 JP? We can understand your frustration & desperation Mr.CM. When you realize PM Modi is more popular than you are even in your own Chamundeshwari, these kind of outbursts are natural," the BJP tweeted. The BJP also targeted Karnataka Congress in-charge K C Venugopal by tweeting, "Now, we think it is time we teach CM definition of 'Import': bring (goods or services) into a country from abroad." "For ex: when you get Italian toiletries for your Bengaluru bathroom, it's import. Not 'Import': When you get rape accused KC Venu from Kerala as Karnataka Incharge," it tweeted.