Mysore/Mysuru: MLA T.S. Srivatsa has accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of holding the State Congress Government’s ‘Sadhana Samavesha’ at his home district Mysuru, only with the purpose of blackmailing the Congress High Command and to target Prime Minister Modi.

Addressing a press meet at the City BJP office in Chamarajapuram here yesterday, Srivatsa called the ‘Sadhana Samavesha’ as a one-point agenda to criticise PM Modi.

Asking the CM to clarify whether the Mysuru Samavesha was organised by the Government or the Congress party, Srivatsa said that the posters of the Samavesha carried pictures of only Congress leaders, while ignoring leaders of other parties such as former PM H.D. Deve Gowda. Such an action is a clear violation of the protocol to be followed in Government sponsored conventions and rallies, he added.

Lashing out at CM Siddaramaiah for unfairly targeting PM Modi, the MLA said that the Centre has provided Rs. 2,627 crore grant for National Highways in the State, Rs. 1,393 crore to Mysuru under Jal Jeevan Mission, Rs. 170 crore for construction of RUBs/ROBs (Railway Under Bridges/ Railway Over Bridges), Rs. 3,000 crore to Mysuru district under MUDRA scheme and adequate funds to a host of other schemes and projects.

In such a case, the CM’s outburst against the PM is ridiculous, he said adding that the ‘Sadhana Samavesha’ was used as a convenient tool by the CM and other Congress leaders to criticise the Centre and PM Modi.

Asserting that the Union Government, led by PM Modi, has granted a lot of funds for development of Mysuru, he challenged Siddaramaiah for an open debate on the contributions of BJP-JD(S) and that of the Congress for the growth of Mysuru.

Maintaining that the growing difference between CM Siddaramaiah and his Deputy D.K. Shivakumar came to the fore once again during the Samavesha, he charged the CM of deliberately ignoring Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar at the rally.

He also questioned the CM’s attitude during the entire course of the convention.

City BJP President L. Nagendra, former Mayor Shivakumar, party leaders M.A. Mohan, Maheshraje Urs, Dayananda Patel and others were present at the press meet.