Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra, MLC, came under criticism on Saturday following his claim that the Congress government led by his father had “equalled, if not surpassed” the accomplishments of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in terms of grants given to Mysuru and contributing to the welfare of the city.

Responding to his son’s comments, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, speaking to reporters at Arsikere in Hassan district on Saturday, chose to skirt the comparison to the iconic Wadiyar king known for his reformist rule, and instead said that his government had outperformed the previous BJP dispensation. “We have done more work than the BJP,” he said.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders frowned upon Mr. Yathindra for drawing such a comparison. Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok called Mr. Yathindra’s comment “a poor joke”. MP for Mysuru Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, scion of the Wadiyar family, said there was no need to make any such comparison, as leaders, whether in democracy or monarchy, have the responsibility to serve the people.