Siddaramaiah's 'Rs 40-lakh' watch an evidence of corruption: Amit Shah

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah, on Monday, aimed a jibe at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, equating his "expensive" watch with corruption in the state.

"CM Siddaramaiah is the only socialist leader who wears a wristwatch worth Rs. 40 lakhs. This watch is an evidence of his corruption," said Shah.

He also censured the recently approved minority status granted to the Lingayat community by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state.

"Kuvempu had praised Karnataka as 'Sarva Janangada Shantiya Thota' or the garden where all communities live in harmony. For his petty political gains, Siddaramaiah has tried creating disharmony by putting one community over the other. This is reprehensible and he will pay for this," he tweeted.

Shah arrived in the poll-bound state to try and establish a BJP favour among the people, especially the Lingayat, who are among the largest community in the state, with their population estimated at anywhere between 11.5 and 19 per cent as BJP eye dethroning the ruling Congress from the state assembly.