MYSURU: Chief minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been attacking him during his Karnataka visits because of his rising popularity among the masses in the state."The PM is scared of me. That's why he's targeting me every time he visits Karnataka," he told reporters here on Monday. The CM said Modi was "jealous" of his achievements and, hence, was trying to pull him down.Referring to Modi's statement that people of Karnataka were fed up with the Congress rule, the chief minister said: "People decide who stays, who goes. They voted for the Congress in Nanjangud bypoll. They want us in 2018 too."The CM said the BJP and JD(S) were trying to checkmate him by joining hands in the Chamundeshwari assembly segment, but they won't succeed in their attempt. The BJP's 150-seat goal has been scaled down to 50 because of its dwindling political strength, Siddaramaiah said."Eight ministers in the Modi government face FIRs. Twelve more face criminal charges. Will they resign?" he said, adding party's state unit chief BS Yeddyurappa , too, is facing criminal charges.Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday described former minister and Channapatna MLA CP Yogeshwar as a businessman, who switched parties to suit his interest. "He is a marketing man," he told reporters. The CM said Yogeshwar was only an associate of the Congress after his election from Samajwadi Party The CM said former minister PGR Sindhia will not contest from Varuna segment on JD(S) ticket. "He's from Ramanagara and should contest from there," he stated.Siddaramaiah admitted Sindhia met JD(S) leaders H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy , but claimed he was not associated with JD(S) anymore.