Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday referred to the violence in Manipur to say that Karnataka voters should beware of the "spurious promise of a double-engine government".

Chidambaram's assertion came in the wake of violence in Manipur between tribals and the majority Meitei community which has displaced over 9,000 people from their villages.

Fifty-five columns of the Army and Assam Rifles had to be deployed to contain widespread rioting.

"Look at the consequences of the 'double engine sarkar' in Manipur. Both engines have failed. The state government is broken with internal dissensions. The central government has a trigger-happy solution to all issues," Chidambaram said on Twitter.

The result is that the divide between Meiteis and the tribal communities has widened, the former home minister claimed, adding communities that were on the path to peacefully co-exist during the Congress' governments are now on the warpath.?

"Voters of Karnataka should beware of the spurious promise of a double-engine government," Chidambaram said.

"Double engine" is a term often used by BJP leaders to refer to the party ruling both at the Centre and in a state.

Voting for the 224 Karnataka assembly seats will be held on May 10 and the counting of votes would take place on May 13.