Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah meets PM Modi in Delhi

This was Siddaramaiah's first meeting with Modi after assuming charge as the chief minister. The meeting was cordial, CMO said in a statement.

The Karnataka CM garlanded Modi and gifted an artefact made of sandalwood, and presented a traditional Mysuru peta (headgear).

The meeting came a day after Siddaramaiah took a dig at Modi over his remarks on five poll guarantees being implemented by the Congress government in Karnataka.

The Prime Minister had made stinging remarks against Siddaramaiah government stating it did not have funds to take up development works in Karnataka because of implementation of freebies.

In a counter, Siddaramaiah said the people of Karnataka had rejected the misdeeds of the double-engine government and the entire country needed the Karnataka model to save the common man from economic crisis and ensure social security.

"The entire country is reeling under inflation, and unemployment," he said.

Siddaramaiah asked PM Modi whether he is opposed to the guarantee schemes or the BJP, and added that the Congress is ready to face the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on this plank. "If you are ready for the challenge you make an announcement in this regard," he said.

Siddaramaiah is scheduled to meet Union Ministers Nirmala Sitaraman, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari.