Siddaramaiah uttered the truth: PM Modi on K'taka CM's gaffe

Reacting to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's gaffe in an election rally yesterday, when he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi instead of Congress candidate Narendra Swamy, PM Modi on Wednesday said the truth has come out.

"The chief minister was campaigning for a Congress candidate whose name is also Narendra but he only kept saying Narendra Modi and praised Narendra Modi too. The truth seems to have come out," said the PM.

"Why is the agenda of Congress only Modi, I fail to understand," he added.

While campaigning in Mandya district's Malavalli village, Siddaramaiah said public utilities like concrete roads, drainage, drinking water facilities, and other civic amenities had been developed by Narendra Modi. However, after he was notified of his mistake by those flanking him, including Swamy, he was quick to make amends, saying that Swamy was true, while Modi was false.

Last month, during his election rally in the state, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah made a similar blunder when he said a recently retired Supreme Court judge said that if there was competition of the most corrupt government in the state, then BJP chief ministerial candidate Yeddyurappa's government would rank number one.

Speaking on his "fight" against corruption, PM Modi said, "Since 2014, I am fighting a battle against corruption and I assure people of India that those who looted the poor will have to return every single penny."

The elections for the 224-member Assembly will take place on Saturday and the results will be declared on Tuesday.