SHIVAMOGGA: Former chief minister Siddaramaiah criticised the Narendra Modi-led government over “its failure to manage the country’s economy in a better way”.
“With rupee value depreciating against the US dollar, export has decreased while imports are on the rise. The foreign exchange that was supposed to be robust has weakened during the BJP rule in the country,” he said.
Siddaramaiah said it was due to faulty fiscal policies that the prices of essential goods are soaring. He cited the examples of the increasing petrol and diesel prices. From the time of assuming power, the central government has enhanced the excise duty on both petrol and diesel 13 times. Even the cost of LPG rose to `900 from `400 during the tenure of the UPA government. The cost of fertilisers too are on the rise.
Terming the demonetisation issue as a political gimmick, Siddaramaiah said that even after two years in office, the central government failed to trace black money.
Ridiculing BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa for terming JD(S) and Congress alliance as ‘unholy’, he said, “The Modi government that ridiculed the Bihar government earlier has now become a part of the Nitish Kumar government. Similarly, when BSY floated KJP, he pledged to never join BJP again. These BJP people do not have any moral right to call the coalition ‘unholy’.”
He assured that both JD(S) and Congress have come together forgetting all the differences. This will continue until the next general election.
He also asserted that the alliance will win all the five constituencies, including two Assembly seats. Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has accepted that the Central government has failed to meet the assurances given by the BJP during the last general elections, he added.
Answering a question, he said, “There is no connection between coalition government and the bypoll results. Our motive is to keep the BJP away from power. This government is going to stay here. Yeddyurappa’s desire to be the CM will remain a dream,” he added.
Reacting to the statement made by MLA Kumar Bangarappa that Madhu Bangarappa is a dummy candidate, Siddaramaiah said that Raghavendra himself is a ‘dummy candidate’.