New Delhi: The Congress Wednesday slammed the BJP over its “double-engine” pitch in the Karnataka polls, saying the May 10 election is to propel the Karnataka engine which got “derailed” by the BJP in the last four years.
The Opposition party also alleged that the people of Karnataka are “fed up with the BJP ‘jhoot’ (lies) engine in Delhi and loot engine in Bengaluru”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP have been batting for the continuation of BJP rule at the Centre and in Karnataka and have been highlighting the benefits of “double-engine” governments.
Double engine is a term often used by BJP leaders to refer to the party ruling both at the Centre and in a state.
Slamming the BJP’s pitch, Congress’ general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter, “What Double Engine?! Ninety-four per cent of the revenue of Karnataka state government comes from the state’s own revenue plus its own share of taxes from the Centre, determined not by ‘Modi Aashirwaad’ but by the Finance Commission formula.”
The May 10 election is to propel the Karnataka engine which got “derailed” by BJP in the last four years, Ramesh said, adding, “It has to be an engine of growth combined with social harmony, not a 40 per cent commission engine running on hot air.”
In another tweet, Ramesh shared an answer from Minister of Steel Jyotiraditya Scindia to a question in the Rajya Sabha on the closure of the Visveswaraya Iron and Steel Plant of SAIL.
Tagging the screenshot of the question and answer, Ramesh said, “What Double Engine? Here’s how the Modi govt is working against the interests of Karnataka. Visveswaraya Iron and Steel Plant of SAIL at Bhadravati in Karnataka is being shut down. The Modi government gave the excuse in Parliament that the plant doesn’t have a captive iron ore source in Karnataka. Jhoot!”
“Bhadravati is less than 250 km from Ballari. In fact, the mining lease was allocated to SAIL in October 2011. The reality is BJP’s loot engine favours private steel companies who have mines in the state but not SAIL,” he alleged.
“The people of Karnataka are fed up with the BJP jhoot engine in Delhi and loot engine in Bengaluru!” Ramesh said.
Voting will take place in the state on May 10 and the results will be out on May 13.
