Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna today (Mar 13, 2004) scoffed at the campaign embarked upon by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that the State would be its gateway from South in the coming Assembly election and lashed out at the Centre for blocking the international airport project.

Reacting sharply to remarks of Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on the performance of his Government, Krishna said, "When international airline operators have been clamouring for the airport on the ground that Bangalore is the gateway into the country, why did they not open it?

"They are not interested in the airport project, but they are trying to get into their entry into Karnataka," the Chief Minister said to ridicule the BJP poll slogan for the coming Assembly elections.

Turning the tables on the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government, he charged that he did not get the degree of cooperation, which the State should have got on the international airport project despite exchanging hot words on this score.

Krishna continuing his broadsides at BJP accused it of being "narrow minded", but wanted to create a gateway into South India.

"If this is the approach of the Centre, God, if there is one, will alone have to save the nation," he said questioning the delay in approving the draft Concession Agreement even after 24 months.