Karnataka's Political Battle Heats Up Over Rising Prices

A political spat erupted in Karnataka as BJP MP Jagadish Shettar rebuffed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's accusations of inflation mismanagement. Siddaramaiah criticized PM Modi's government for severe price hikes. Both parties staged protests highlighting issues like inflation and governance failures to sway public opinion ahead of elections.

The political climate in Karnataka has intensified following a war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over increasing prices. BJP MP Jagadish Shettar, on Friday, dismissed Siddaramaiah's recent criticisms as 'completely false allegations,' claiming they aim to distract from the success of the BJP's 'Jan Akrosh Rally'.

Shettar argued that Siddaramaiah's focus on inflation is a tactic to undermine growing public support for the BJP, urging a comparison of price trends under different administrations. This came as Siddaramaiah launched an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 'Samvidhan Bachao-Mahangai Hatao' rally, accusing the central government of economic mismanagement leading to skyrocketing prices.

The accusations and counter-accusations have spurred both BJP and Congress to organize rallies and protests. While the Karnataka government demonstrated against federal petrol and gas price hikes, the BJP countered with protests over local issues such as garbage cess and milk price increases, heightening the state's political tensions.