"It's a lie, someone misled him": Karnataka Dy CM Shivakumar on PM Modi's "ATM" remarks

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Monday, Shivakumar said, "This is a lie. Someone has misled him. I think the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) has already commented on this that if he (Prime Minister Modi) proves (the allegations), he will quit politics. What more do you want."

PM Modi took out an all-out attack on the Congress party and the opposition alliance as he campaigned for BJP in Maharashtra in the run-up to the assembly elections scheduled to be held on November 20.

Addressing an election rally in Akola, PM Modi accused the Congress party of "using" the states including Karnataka where they are in power as "ATMs."

"Wherever Congress forms government, that state becomes an ATM for the Congress' royal family. These days Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana have become their ATMs. In the name of elections in Maharashtra, they have looted worth Rs 700 crores from liquor sellers in Karnataka. You can imagine the loot once they win the elections," PM Modi said earlier.

Several BJP leaders defended the Prime Ministers allegations while the Congress party hit back asking the BJP for a self-introspection.

On the campaign front, Shivakumar visited Kerala's Wayanad earlier this month to campaign for Congress candidate and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi.

The bypoll for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat is scheduled to be held on November 13.

"When I was campaigning for Priyanka in Wayanad, I saw that several people of the other political parties are also expecting her win. It is a one-sided election and people want Priyanka to become their MP. They are proud of Priyanka contesting there. And I am very confident that she will take very good care of her constituency," he said.

The seat was vacated by Rahul Gandhi after he simultaneously won in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli Lok Sabha seat alongside Wayanad and decided to keep the former.

Counting of votes is scheduled on November 23. (ANI)