New Delhi:The BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) on Sunday leveled fresh allegations against Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, saying that the he had attended the 2013 World Economic Forum meeting in China and received a costly gift from ‘declared absconder’ Vijay Eswaran.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, BJP national spokesperson SambitPatra said that Siddaramaiah met Eswaran when he went to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in China in 2013 and invited him to invest in Karnataka.

The attack comes in the wake of the recent allegations levelled by the Congress on Prime Minister NarendraModi of meeting PNB Fraud accused NiravModi during World Economic Forum 2018 in Davos.

SambitPatra said that the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) had declared Vijay Eswaran an absconder and yet, the chief minister met him. The BJP spokesperson also alleged that Siddaramaiah had received a gift from Eswaran and wondered if it was a premium Hublot watch. Adding further, he demanded a clarification on the matter from Congress President Rahul Gandhi. In September 2013, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had gone to participate in the three-day annual meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum and led a 22-member delegation. Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018 is scheduled for May 12. The counting of votes will be conducted on May 15.