Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accusing the state's Congress government of being consumed by price hikes, appeasement politics, and internal power struggles — rather than governance. Joshi's remarks came in direct response to Siddaramaiah's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech was "full of lies and hatred."

Joshi's Challenge to Siddaramaiah

Joshi challenged the Chief Minister to first address questions about his government's administrative failures and internal power tussles before targeting the Prime Minister. He said Siddaramaiah was "wasting time criticising others instead of fixing his own house." According to Joshi, PM Modi had delivered a positive, nation-first message, and the Chief Minister's mockery of it reflected "irresponsible leadership."

Allegations of Administrative Failures

Joshi listed what he described as a series of governance failures under the Siddaramaiah administration. He alleged that development activities have come to a standstill, roads across the state are riddled with potholes, and pending payments to contractors remain uncleared. He further charged that common people are being burdened daily by rising prices, with the government having hiked rates of 48 essential commodities, including milk and fuel.

Joshi also alleged that under the pretext of guarantee schemes, the Congress government has pushed Karnataka into a debt trap, with the state's debt rising sharply and the revenue deficit reaching what he described as historically high levels, breaking all previous records. Despite often projecting himself as an "economic expert", he said, Siddaramaiah had pushed Karnataka's economy into decline.

BJP's Broader Attack on Congress

Joshi defended PM Modi's economic record, stating that India's economy had deteriorated during the tenure of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, but under Modi's leadership, India has emerged as the world's fourth-largest economy. He said the true nature of the Congress government — which he claimed excels only in advertisements — has now been exposed.

Responding to Siddaramaiah's use of the word "betrayal", Joshi turned the charge around, accusing the Indian National Congress (INC) of repeatedly betraying its alliance partners, dividing regional mandates, and toppling several governments across the country.

Political Context

The exchange underscores the intensifying political rivalry between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre and the Congress-led Karnataka government. Siddaramaiah's administration has faced sustained criticism from the BJP over its guarantee schemes, which the ruling party at the Centre argues have strained the state's fiscal position. This is the latest in a series of public confrontations between the two sides, with both parties seeking to set the narrative ahead of future electoral cycles. All allegations made by Joshi are his party's stated position and have not been independently verified.