Taking exception to the BJP's poll promise in Bihar of providing free COVID-19 vaccine if the party is voted to power, the Congress in Karnataka termed the party as "Opportunist BJP".
Launching an attack through his Twitter handle, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah asked, "There is no general election in Karnataka now. Does this mean Kannadigas will not get free vaccine?"
There is no general election in Ktaka now.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) October 23, 2020
Does this mean Kannadigas will not get free vaccine?
I hope 25 MPs, @CMofKarnataka & @BJP4Karnataka President has spine to demand free vaccine for Kannadigas also.
Or will BJP President make way for another general election soon?
2/3
.@FinMinIndia @nsitharaman has made it clear that distribution of free vaccine is dependent on the electoral outcome in Bihar.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) October 23, 2020
Should pandemic not be a concern for Central govt?
What does @narendramodi have to say about this?
Is it 'Vote over Health & Life' for @BJP4India?
1/3
He also said that Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa won't make such a promise to people in Karnataka.
Pointing at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said, "Sitharaman has made it clear that distribution of COVID-19 vaccine entirely depends on the outcome of the Bihar elections. Should the pandemic not be a concern for the Union government? What does PM Narendra Modi have to say about this? Is it a vote over health and life for BJP?"
Training his guns on the BJP MPs and other leaders from the party, Siddaramaiah said the state elected 25 BJP MPs and these MPs have no gumption to even make a formal demand to supply free vaccines to Karnataka.
The BJP unit in Karnataka responded to Siddaramaiah's charges asking him to "remove hate Modi glasses".
"Dear @siddaramaiah If you remove your 'Hate Modi Glasses' and look around, you will see that PM @narendramodi treats all Bharatiyas as equal. It is height of stupidity that you don't understand the difference between a poll manifesto and governance," the Karnataka BJP's Twitter account tweeted.
Dear @siddaramaiah,
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) October 23, 2020
If you remove your "Hate Modi Glasses" and look around, you will see that PM @narendramodi treats all Bharatiyas as equal.
It is heights of stupidity that you don't understand difference between a poll manifesto & governance.#CONgressComedianSiddaramaiah https://t.co/SFeoM1loLa
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President DK Shivakumar demanded that the BJP at the Centre must come out in the open on whether the Union government has started the procurement of vaccines for this disease.
"If they have, they could have at least used them to save their own leaders like Union Minister of State for Railways, Suresh Angadi. Union ministers of Sitharaman's stature should not have been part of such politicking," he said while campaigning for the party candidate in RR Nagara, which is going to the polls on November 3.
Alongside RR Nagar, Sira constituency in Tumakuru will also be going to polls on the day.