Bengaluru (IANS) | Due to the hospitalization of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife, he could not leave for Delhi on Wednesday. Party sources gave this information. Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathy was admitted to Manipal Hospital late on Tuesday night after she complained of high fever.
The chief minister, who was supposed to leave Kempegowda airport at 9.50 am, will now leave by a special flight from HAL airport at 11.30 am after seeing his ailing wife.
He is scheduled to meet President Draupadi Murmu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital.
After assuming office, the Chief Minister described the meeting with the President and the Union Home Minister as a ‘courtesy’ call.
His visit to New Delhi assumes significance as the Congress government in Karnataka has launched an all-out attack on the ruling BJP government at the Center for denying it the sale of rice through the Food Corporation of India.
Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chief minister accused the BJP of trying to steal the poor man’s food and sabotage the Anna Bhagya scheme, under which 10 kg of free rice is to be distributed to each member of a BPL cardholder family.
The BJP Karnataka unit also hit back, triggering a war of words between the leaders of the two parties.
The Congress had staged a dharna against the Center and in retaliation, the BJP also staged a counter-dharna. BJP leaders were arrested and later released.
Meanwhile, State Food and Civil Supplies Minister K.H. Muniyappa will meet Union Food Minister Piyush Goyal and appeal for supply of rice to the state.
–IANS
