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Bengaluru, Jan 3: Former Karnataka chief minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Friday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that 90 per cent of the promises made by him remain unfulfilled.

"He (Prime Minister Modi) had promised that in 2020 the economy will be doubled, but only their troubles have doubled. He just lied. 90 per cent of the promises made by Modi have remained unfulfilled," Siddaramaiah told media here.

Siddaramaiah's remarks come at a time when Prime Minister Modi is on a two-day visit to the state.

"In August, there was severe flood in state, he didn't visit Karnataka at that time. Flood situation was in 23 districts. Prime Minister will tweet for small issues. But at the time of severe flood he didn't even tweet. In 2009, Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister. He did aerial survey of the state and announced Rs 1500 crore relief on spot," Siddaramaiah said.

"This time the estimated damage due to flood is more than Rs 1 lakh crores," he said.

He went on to say, "Prime Minister came to witness Chandrayaan-2. He did not give time to Chief Minister and ministers and opposition party to meet him and discuss about floods."

"When I was the Chief Minister, the Prime Minister visited the state two times. Prime Minister had told at the time of inauguration of food park that there will be 10,000 direct employment and 25,000 employment. But nothing has happened till now," Siddaramaiah said.

Besides the Prime Minister, Siddaramaiah also criticised Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

"In last election, Prime Minister had told that, if BJP comes to power in Centre and state, there will be development. But nothing has happened. Chief Minister and ministers should have spoken to the Prime Minister about relief funds. The central government should have announced it as National disaster... That's why I called BS Yediyurappa as weak Chief Minister," Siddaramaiah said.

"He had said if BJP is in power at the centre and state, doors of fortune of the state will be opened. People trusted him and gave 25 seats in Lok Sabha elections. But now, he doesn't even open the doors of his house for his party leaders," he said.

Congress leader further cornered the Prime Minister over his address in Tumkuru Mutt on Thursday and said, "We admit Pakistan is an evil country. But what are you doing about minorities in our country? You are bringing law against the minorities. Is that right? And you give speech about these things in front of young children."

Prime Minister Modi is on a two-day visit to Karnataka and is attending several events as part of his official engagements.

Bengaluru, Jan 12: Janata Dal (Secular) chief and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on Sunday refuted reports of him contesting in the Rajya Sabha elections and added that he is more concerned about strengthening his party in Karnataka.

"I am not interested in going to Rajya Sabha. My concern is to build and strengthen the party in the region to the best of my ability. I had declared earlier that I will not contest elections anymore," Deve Gowda told ANI here.

"My party MP D Kupendra Reddy is there in the Rajya Sabha as of now and further decisions will be taken by the party. In March 2019, towards the end of the 16th Lok Sabha I had declared that I will not contest any more elections," Deve Gowda added.

Four Rajya Sabha seats in Karnataka are about to fall vacant in June this year as two of Congress, one of BJP and JD(S) MPs retire.

Bengaluru, Apr 18: Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu drew flak from his own party the BJP as well as the Congress for allegedly letting hundreds of people throng the Rupangudi Road in Ballari to collect food packets from him.

Visuals showed that the people came in hordes and fell on each other to collect the packets Sriramulu was distributing to the poor and needy as relief measure in the wake of lockdown.

The videos showed the minister standing with his team by the roadside and spreading out tables all along to distribute the food kit to the poor people.

Those in the queue had elderly people too.

A majority of people who rushed to grab the food packets did not bother to protect themselves with a mask.

"Whoever has done he has committed a blunder whether it is Sriramulu in Ballari or Anand Singh in Hospet.

All these elected representatives want to show that they are serviing the people in their constitutuency," said Karnataka BJP spokesperson Go Madhusudana.

Flaying the leaders of all political parties for defying norms, Madhusudana sad this has become fashionable for the leaders to perform 'cheap shows'.

He advised Sriramulu that it should have been done with door-to-door delivery of food packets instead of arranging it at the public place.

Congress spokesperson K E Radhakrishna said a case should be registered for defying regulations.

"I am all appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa who were the first to wake up and do something good for the people.

Now I feel sorry for them.

I wonder why they cannot control their own partymen.

People should file FIR against him (Sriramulu)," Congress spokesperson Prof K E Radhakrishna said

Slamming the alleged VVIP culture in the country, Radhakrishna said when the nation is facing a crisis, lavish marriages and grand birthday parties were organised. In the midst of all this health minister organises a food distribution mela, he added.

Attempts to reach the minister went in vain.

However, speaking to reporters at Ballari, Sriramulu admitted that the cases suddenly shot up in the state because of disregard to social distancing.

"People's support to lockdown is essential.

People have to maintain social distancing, without which we cannot control it," the minister said.