Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday slammed the Central Government, calling it “anti-Kannadiga” and “anti-poor” for not allowing the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to sell rice directly to Karnataka to roll out its ambitious Anna Bhagya program.

The scheme, which is scheduled to be launched on July 1, was one of the Congress’ tall election guarantees. It promises 10 kg of rice for free to BPL and Antyodaya card holders.

Siddaramaiah, in a media conference, said the state government had reached an agreement with the FCI to get 2.28 lakh metric tons of rice at Rs 3,400 per quintal for the scheme on Monday. However, on Tuesday, the Centre asked the FCI to sell 15 lakh metric tons of rice and wheat in the open market and stop direct sale to states, except the north east.

Expressing his outrage, Siddaramaiah alleged that the Centre had made the decision politically, to obstruct the Anna Bhagya program from being implemented. “We will appeal again, but this is a conspiracy,” he said.

Food and Civil Supplies minister KH Muniyappa said he had spoken to other rice growing states like Punjab, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh for procuring rice and the government would have a clear picture by Thursday.

Before the second Cabinet meeting, Muniyappa had said the state government would ask the Centre and the FCI to provide rice to Karnataka. The BJP had slammed the Congress’ decision saying that the Congress was unwilling to spend money on providing even 1 kg of free rice. “The government has already begun asking the Centre to increase the amount of rice provided,” it said.