Belagavi, May 8: Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah on Sunday hit out at Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai alleging that he is not an elected CM, and was appointed to the coveted post in exchange for money.

The allegation comes days after senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal's claims that he was approached by some people, offering the state chief minister's position, in exchange for Rs 2,500 crore.

The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader even alleged that Bommai is only following RSS' instructions, as they have made him the chief minister.

"Basavaraj Bommai is not an elected Chief Minister, he is an appointed Chief Minister, so he is not doing anything. He has given money and become Chief Minister, why will he work? RSS has made him Chief Minister, following their instructions is enough for him," Siddaramaiah alleged.

Speaking at an event here, the former Chief Minister said this government has not been able to give even a single house for the needy in four years and questioned as to whether should such a government continue.

"They (BJP government) should be ashamed...as Chief Minister for five years, I had constructed 15 lakh houses," he claimed.

Congress leaders have been questioning Bommai, whether he became CM by giving money after Yatnal's recent claim of being approached by some people, offering the state Chief Minister's position, in exchange for Rs 2,500 crore.

Yatnal, a former Union minister, however, has not named anyone, but has only said there are such "fraud" companies.

Congress has demanded an inquiry into these claims.

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New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being racist by bringing in skin colour in the poll debate, and said the opposition's support to Yashwant Sinha in the presidential election was not based on the colour of skin.

In a post on X, he said in the last election to the office of President of India, there were two candidates - Droupadi Murmu and Sinha.

While the BJP and its allies supported Murmu, he said 17 Opposition parties, including the Congress, supported Sinha.

"Support for a candidate was not based on the colour of the skin. Opposition to a candidate was also not based on the colour of the skin.Support or opposition was a political decision, and every elector abided by the decision of his or her party," the former union minister said.

"Why did the Hon'ble PM bring the colour of the skin into the election debate," he asked.

"The PM's remarks are completely irrelevant and blatantly racist," the Congress leader alleged.

Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday attacked the Congress over its party leader Sam Pitroda's comments over skin colour and asserted that the countrymen would not tolerate insult on the basis of skin colour.

Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Modi said he has now understood that the national party sought to defeat President Murmu in the presidential poll as her "skin colour is dark".

Pitroda's comments that people in the eastern parts of the country resembled the Chinese, while those from the south looked like Africans had kicked up a row.