Siddaramaiah sends defamation notice to PM Modi, Yeddyurappa on poll barbs

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has sent notices for criminal and civil defamation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and party chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa for accusing him of corruption and has demanded a public apology from them.

Siddaramaiah has accused the top BJP leaders of making "baseless, false and untrue remarks" about him in the election campaign.

The state will go to polls on May 12.

Reports suggest that he has sued the leaders for Rs 100 crore.

"... you are called upon to cease and desist from making such statements forthwith and give an unconditional public apology immediately through electronic, print and social media etc. in which the statements and advertisements have appeared," says the notice.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's jibes like "Sidda-rupaiya government", "10 per cent sarkar" and "ease of doing murders" have been detailed in the legal notice.

Counting of votes and results of voting in Karnataka will be declared on May 15.