Modi mentions Siddaramaiah's viral video at Karnataka rally: 'slapping his own'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged the people of the Karnataka where Assembly polls are due by May, to give the party a full majority for a stable government.

While making a strong pitch for the return of the BJP government in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday mentioned an incident where senior Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah allegedly slapped his supporter who had come to meet him. Speaking at the rally held to mark the culmination of the BJP's statewide 'Vijay Sankalpa Yatre' ahead of the Assembly, Prime Minister Modi said those who don't respect their own workers cannot be expected to respect other people as he underscored that “nobody is big or small” in his party.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the viral video in which former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah could be seen slapping his supporter.

“I came across a video on social media where a party's big leader, Karnataka's Former CM, was slapping his own party worker in public. Those who can't respect their own workers, how can they respect the people? Nobody is big or small in BJP,” Modi said, urging the people of the state to give the party a full majority for a stable government.

Targeting Congress, Modi said its leaders had been "wandering with a bag of false guarantees" ahead of elections.

"Can we trust Congress that makes false promises? Should they be allowed to place a step inside Karnataka or should they be thrown out," he asked, adding that people of Karnataka should be cautious and not give them an opportunity "to play their game".

In a video that went viral on social media, Siddaramaiah could be seen surrounded by a crowd outside his residence in Bengalaru. Pushed by a group of supporters demanding election ticket for a party MLA, Siddaramaiah slapped one of them, showed a video.

Congress earlier today released its first list of candidates for the Assembly polls, due by May. Congress state unit President D K Shivakumar and Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah are among the prominent leaders who figure in the list. While Shivakumar is as usual contesting from Kanakapura, Siddaramaiah is returning to his home turf of Varuna in Mysuru district, which is currently represented by his son Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah.

(With inputs from agencies)