Modi's tweet snubs Cong, Siddaramaiah hits back

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah retorted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tweet on the working culture of the Congress government in the state on Monday.

The Prime Minister on Sunday had criticised the Congress in a tweet saying that the party is "disconnected with the people's aspirations."

In reply to the Prime Minister's tweet that had demanded for "politics of development" in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hit back with a series of tweets that focused on the development schemes that his government has introduced in the state.

"Loans to farmers at 0 percent interest, free farm ponds, 24 percent of all development grants earmarked by law for SC/ST, stipends for 3 lakh students," tweeted Siddaramaiah.

He added, "All this & more, yet recognised as fiscally prudent state with revenue surplus, debt at <20 percent of GDP & fiscal deficit at <3 percent."

The chief minister also subtly criticised the BJP's politics in a tweet that read, "We stand for politics that prioritises empowerment & development of the people & not for politics of rhetoric, slogans & divisiveness."

"We don't do slogans: we walk the talk. Food security for 4 crore persons, milk for 1 crore children, houses for 3 lakh families every year," he further tweeted.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister, while addressing a gathering in Bidar, Karnataka had said that the Congress' working culture is ''Atkana (to stall), Latkana (to delay) and Bhatkana (to mislead)''.

His tweet reiterated this, following which Siddaramaiah did not hold back from initiating a war of words.