Mysore/Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dared Union Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman for an open debate on the funds owed to State Government by the Centre.

He was speaking during a convention organised at Bhootale Grounds in Vidyaranyapuram in the city on Wednesday, where BJP leader and former Chairman of Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) H.V. Rajeev joined Congress party.

“Let her (Nirmala Sitharaman) come for the debate on a common platform, we will discuss about the issue and let people also know the truth,” said CM reiterating his invite to the Union Minister.

Referring to the recent visit of Nirmala Sitharaman to Mysuru where she had outrightly denied owing any funds from the Centre to the State, CM dismissed it as an utter lie.

He also came down heavily on Janata Dal (Secular) party and said ‘They have joined hands with a communal party like BJP due to the fear of losing the elections.’

‘The regional party has got three Lok Sabha Constituencies in return, while the party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda has sent his son-in-law Dr. C.N. Manjunath to BJP. The voters should defeat them as both the parties have formed a truck only due to the fear of losing the polls,’ he said.