Law and order at its worst in poll-bound K'taka: UP CM

Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India] January 14 (ANI): A day after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is raising irrelevant issues in the poll-bound state, his Uttar Pradesh counterpart, Yogi Adityanath, highlighted that the law and order situation there was at its worst.

Speaking to ANI, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said, "We do not indulge in vote bank politics. We are more focused on poverty-stricken people, farmers and women empowerment. It is true that in Karnataka, the condition of law and order is at its worst. Development and nationalism are the main issues for us and we will continue with the same in Karnataka as well".

He pointed out that the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers have been murdered in a barbaric manner there, farmers have committed suicides and honest and loyal employees have been demeaned.

"People will definitely give a befitting reply to the kind of governance being seen there", Chief Minister Adityanath stated.

Earlier on Saturday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the Congress Party is confident of winning and serving a second term in office in the state.

Responding to his recent tussle with his Uttar Pradesh counterpart over Hinduism and most-recently, the alleged killing of Hindus, Siddaramaiah claimed that the BJP has run out of issues to discuss, and hence are raising irrelevant ones.

"The BJP is raising irrelevant issues in Karnataka. 'Hindutva' is the only issue they have. Yogi Adityanath and Amit Shah are also raising the same issue, and Narendra Modi may also raise the same in the future," he said.

Karnataka will go to polls in April this year.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi is expected to visit Karnataka from February 10 to 12 for the first leg of the election campaign. (ANI)