Siddaramaiah brands BJP-JD(S) alliance ‘unholy’

Branding the alliance "unholy", Siddaramaiah told the media in Chitradurga that despite carrying the word 'Secular', the JD(S) had joined hands with "communal forces". "They are having an alliance with a communal party. It is an unholy alliance, because till now BJP used to abuse JD(S) and JD(S) used to abuse the BJP,” he said.

“Now they have come together. JD(S) has claimed that they have thrown away the ideology to save the party," Siddaramaiah said.

The JD(S) announced in September that it would ally with the saffron party after its leader HD Kumaraswamy met home minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda in New Delhi.

Communal violence

The chief minister blasted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for sending a "fact-finding" committee to violence-hit area in Shivamogga town.

"What fact finding will they do? What is there?” he asked.

Siddaramaiah said a criminal case had been filed against the miscreants involved in stone pelting on the day of Eid Milad procession and the police had been told to take merciless action against them irrespective of their religion or party affiliation.

He also accused the BJP of derailing Karnataka’s economy. "It is they (BJP) who destroyed the state. Did we (Congress government) take so much loan during our period? After destroying the state's economy, they are now speaking.”

The Karnataka CM debunked fears that there is shortage of funds. "There is no shortage of funds for regular programmes, also for the five guarantee schemes," he said.

(With agency inputs)