BJP has no right to demand separate statehood for North K'taka: Siddaramaiah

Mysuru: Flaying the demand by some BJP leaders for separate statehood for North Karnataka, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said the party does not have any right to seek it as the NDA government's contribution towards the region's development was "zero."

"The Narendra Modi-led NDA government's contribution towards the development of North Karnataka is zero. Now some BJP leaders are supporting the demand for a separate state. How far is this right?" he asked.

"There is no need for a separate state," he said at a party meeting in Mysuru.

The senior Congress leader also said this demand was being made by people who have not understood the meaning of a unified Karnataka.

Siddaramaiah claimed that he had allocated more funds for the development of the region during his tenure as a chief minister than what was allocated during BJP's regime.

"I had allotted funds for various schemes, including irrigation. The BJP had not even given that while it ruled the state for five years," he alleged.

BJP MLA from the region B Sriramulu had recently announced his support to the bandh call given by some outfits on August 2, demanding separate statehood for North Karnataka, alleging that injustice was done to the region.

"The coalition government has ignored North Karnataka. Chief Minister