Sorry Narendra Swamy: K'taka CM 'mistakenly' lauds Modi in poll rally
This gaffe by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has come amid a war of words between him and PM Modi while campaigning.
Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah committed a gaffe on Tuesday, claiming that every vote cast for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the May 12 Karnataka Assembly polls is like casting it for him.
The chief minister committed the faux pas twice while campaigning for the party candidate in Mandya, about 100 km from Bengaluru.
"If road work has happened, concrete roads, drainage, drinking water facilities are there, if houses have been constructed, it is all because of Narendra Modi and our government," Siddaramaiah said.
Siddaramaiah was referring to Congress MLA Narendra Swamy while campaigning at Malavalli in Mandya district.
Following the intervention of those standing next to him, the Chief Minister corrected himself and said "sorry Narendra Swamy" as the crowd cheered.
"Narendra is important. Here he is Swamy, he (PM) Modi is there for Gujarat. Narendra Modi is false, Narendra Swamy is true," he further said, laughing it off.
But that was not all, the Chief Minister committed the mistake by referring to Narendra Swamy as Narendra Modi for the second time. "Every one should understand that every single vote cast for Narendra Modi, is like casting for me...." he said and corrected himself after the intervention of those standing next to him, including Swamy.
This gaffe by the Chief Minister has come amid a war of words between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi while campaigning.
In April, BJP national president Amit Shah left BS Yeddyurappa, BJP's presumptive Chief Ministerial candidate, embarrassed with a slip of tongue, calling the latter the "most corrupt". "Recently a retired Supreme Court judge said if there was ever a competition of the most corrupt government then the Yeddyurappa government is number one...," he said while rattling off allegations against Siddaramaiah government at a meeting in Karnataka's Davanagere
Although he quickly corrected himself, the blooper didn't check the rapid circulation of the video clip on social media, mostly by Congress supporters.