Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Karnataka on Thursday. (PTI)
With just a week left for the Karnataka Assembly elections, the BJP has intensified its campaign across the state. As part of his third round of campaigning in poll-bound Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Tumakuru on Saturday morning and launched a scathing attack on the Congress over several issues ranging from poverty to farmers suicides and its alliance with the JDS in Bengaluru. While addressing his second rally in Gadag at 2pm, he continued its tirade against the party, saying that it will soon reduce to a regional party after the poll results are declared.
The PM’s last public meetings will be held at Mangaluru later in the day. BJP chief Amit Shah, on the other hand, is also addressing the public through roadshows in Piriyapattana, Varuna, Chamaraja, Krishnaraja and NR constituencies.
LIVE in Karnataka | In Badami, voters hope the tight BJP vs Congress contest will bring development
Union minister Prakash Javadekar, Karnataka BJP President B S Yeddyurappa, Muralidhar Rao, MP PC Mohan, Jagadish Shettar and Suresh Kumar release the party's manifesto for the upcoming Assembly polls in Bengaluru on Friday. (PTI)
Praising the BJP-led central government's initiatives, PM Modi said 30 crore families have bank accounts now through Jan Dhan Yojana. "We have brought them financial security," he said. "Centre has given money to the state to build houses, but this state government is sleeping. Does it have the right to sleep?" he asked.
Further, PM Modi reiterated his promise of providing a home for every family by 2022. "When India celebrates 75 years of Independence, every family will have a home in our country," he said while accusing the incumbent Congress government in the state of not utilising the funds granted by the Centre for building houses.
Political pundits predicting a hung assembly should look at this crowd. People of Karnataka will form a full majority government in favour of BJP. The writing is clear on the wall. On may 15, BJP will form a government: PM Modi
Have the BJP's allegations put the Congress campaign in Karnataka on backfoot as Siddaramaiah seems to be on the defensive?
No, no. I think our basic message is a positive message. It is we have done everything we promised we would do. 95 percent is fulfilled, 5 percent is in progress. Give us another chance to do better because we will serve you well. That's the core message of the Congress party in Karnataka.
The allegations that have been made, by and large, are trivial issues about history, Tipu Sultan, about the pronunciation of a name and this sort of stuff. It is not actually about the real issues that affect the real life of ordinary people. We are much more focused on what really affects people and they are trying to focus on the marginal issues. I don't think we have to react on all of them all the time.
BJP Union Minister Ananth Kumar has said India will be free of the Congress party because of Rahul Gandhi. PM Modi and other rival party leaders also target Rahul by trying to project him as the alleged weak link of your party. Your comments?
As far as this election in Karnataka is concerned, it is the Congress' record of Siddaramaiah government of last five years is the real issue. Rahul Gandhi was not the minister in this government. They can take whatever issues they want with him but we have demonstrated to the people of Karnataka on record. And we are asking to support us on the basis of that.
Second, nationally, Rahul Gandhi has a lot of good qualities that are becoming more and more apparent to the voters. And I'm confident that as he goes out and interacts more with people, this is not going to be the line of argument they can easily take. In any case, why are we sitting here and debating about might-have-been. Let's see what the voters say. I believe the voters have a very clear choice before them and their votes will give you the hints.
Congress President says in Karnataka that we will not let thieves sit in Legislative Assembly. Why don't they tell about the Congress leaders sitting as MLAs & Ministers in the Karnataka Assembly, whose almirahs and bed sheets were found laden with notes. Congress has a secret tender system to give tickets to its candidates and to even select Chief Minister on the basis of their ‘bids’. People of Karnataka need to be alert about this system: PM Modi in Shivamogga
Coconut export has increased by more than 60% after our govt came to power at the Centre. We installed a food processing plant in Tumakuru in just Rs 150 crore that helped around 6,000 farmers in doing trade and generated 6,000 employments: PM Modi in Shivamogga
Meanwhile, photos from Mangaluru where the PM will hold his last address for the day.
Shameful that Congress leaders are using abusive language for BS Yeddyurappa they made baseless allegations against him ignoring his age, contribution to society and experience in politics. This is not acceptable at all, Yeddyurappa ji is a respectable leader: PM Modi
Spreading lies has become a business for the Congress. Wherever they go, they spread lies among people. There is no difference between the 'C' of Congress and 'C' of Corruption: PM Modi in Shivamogga.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Congress of entering into a ‘secret’ alliance with H D Deve Gowda’s Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) ahead of the Assembly elections slated for next week. Addressing a public meeting in Tumakuru earlier in the day, Modi said the Congress and JDS were only pretending to fight the polls.
Only two days ago, the prime minister had lavished praise on Gowda. While addressing a rally in the state, Modi had said, “I hold the door open for Gowda when he visits me, I escort him to the car door when he leaves." Read More
PM Modi in his public address at Shivamogga accused the Congress of practicing 'divide and rule' policy in the country. "They divide people on the grounds of caste. And shockingly, they even classify criminals on the grounds of caste," he said.
Don't rest now. If you think that somebody isn't voting, go to their homes, tie up their hands and legs and bring them to vote in favour of BJP candidate from Kittur, Mahantesh Doddagoudar: BS Yeddyurappa in Belagavi (ANI)
Pictures from Amit Shah's roadshow in Periyapatna, Mysore (Karnataka).
Hitting out at what he claimed was communal and divisive politics on the part of the BJP, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the choice was between assured development and communal violence. Questioning the “hollow promises” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Siddaramaiah said if the BJP was serious about secularism, tickets would have been given to Muslims and Hindus too.
“It is not Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas. It is Sabka Sath, Sabka Vinash,” the incumbent Chief Minister said.
“If you elect us again we will continue to do the work we have been and alleviate poverty by bringing poor communities into the middle class.” Badami is one of the two seats Siddaramaiah is contesting. Read more
The Congress, meanwhile, hit back at PM Modi over his statements on corruption in the state this morning. "PM Modi avare, with Yeddyurappa & Reddy brothers leading BJP's campaign in Karnataka, how can you claim that you are fighting corruption?" the party said on Twitter.
"After losing the Karnataka elections, the Congress will become PPP Congress - Punjab, Puducherry and Parivar Congress," Modi said.
"Have you ever thought why it took so long for Congress to distribute the tickets? This's due to a tender system, for tickets, there will also be a tender for CM-ship. Whoever sends maximum amount of money to Delhi will get the CM-ship in Congress," PM Modi said.
"Congress can only loot Karnataka, they cannot do any thing else for the state," PM Modi told the crowd.
"Congress is not bothered about the depletion of natural resources here. As long as the pockets of their leaders are full, Congress is happy. Congress sees corruption opportunities in the forests of Karnataka. Corruption is the key to the existence of the Congress," he said.
Launching a fresh attack on the Congress, Modi said, "No one knows the policies and intentions of the Congress better than the people of Gadag."
PM Modi is now addressing the crowd in Gadag. "The government is trying its best to improve the manufacture and sale of Khadi products. At the time of independence, the mantra was Khadi for nation and now it's Khadi for fashion," he said.
Congress needs to be punished for Karnataka's better future, says Modi.
Reacting to former minister and illegal mining scam accused G Janardhan Reddy's remarks that 'God will punish him one day," Siddaramaiah said, "So now I need certificates from robber-barons? BJP may be a washing machine, Karnataka is not. Even if the CBI does not we will punish the Reddy brothers & all those involved in the mining loot. SIT is already conducting investigations."
In an interview to The Economic Times, Reddy had called Siddaramaiah "a liar who put him through torture and fours years jail without any real proof against him".
"I have initiated a full-fledged battle against corruption and black money. There is no way we can tolerate corrupt practices," PM said.
Why've people of Tumakuru not got water from Hemavati river as yet? Our Govt has worked on irrigation projects on which no work was done for 30 years. Cong is only interested in filling their safes with black money: PM Narendra Modi
Farmers' plight today is because of Congress' policies, we are trying to wash away their sins: Modi.
"Which Congress govt, either in Delhi or here in Karnataka, has ever thought about solving the water problem in Tumakuru? Sadly, they do not bother about the farmers," Modi said.
People of Karnataka need to know the tacit alliance between Congress & JD(S). They pretend to fight but in Bengaluru, the JD(S) supported a Congress mayor: PM Narendra Modi
"Congress was never interested in providing water to the farmers. They were busy filling their safes with illegal money," PM Modi said.
PM Modi says, "Those who think of taking out gold from potatoes are nowadays talking about farmers day in and day out."
From Indira Gandhi's time, Congress has only fooled poor people of society to win elections. They're a party of lies, they lie time & again for votes. They do not care about farmers nor are they concerned about poor. People are now tired of Cong: PM Modi
"It is only the BJP who can bring about a transformation in Karnataka," Modi said.
Accusing the Congress of politicising the farmers' deaths, PM Modi said, "The Congress is trying to offer false rhetoric and empty promises to the farmers. The Congress' neglect of the agriculture sector is very well known. I wish they were serious about the welfare of the farmers."
While attacking the Congress, PM Modi accused the party of fooling the citizens ever since Indira Gandhi's time. "For years, the Congress kept saying - 'gareeb, gareeb, gareeb'. The Congress has failed to transform the lives of the poor of India," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins addressing the crowd in Tumakuru. "This land of Tumakuru is home to several greats. After becoming the prime minister, I had come here to Tumakuru to seek the blessings of Sri Sri Sri Sivakumar Swami Ji at the Sree Siddaganga Mutt," he said.
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Upping its ante against Rahul Gandhi over his poor review of the BJP's election manifesto, the party said, "Congratulations on reading your first book! Did you read that we have pledged to establish Applied Artificial Intelligence Research Institute in Kengeri? Your 'artificial' intelligence will help us to implement it when we form govt! A ZERO giving 1 rating is anyway laughable!"
On Friday, Rahul had criticised the manifesto, saying, "New Book Review! The BJP Karnataka Manifesto, inspired by Narendra Modi, is a poorly crafted fantasy built around a weak plot, that has nothing unique to offer voters. If you've read the Congress Manifesto, don't waste your time on this one. Rating: 1/5 ? Recommendation:Avoid."
On Friday, Rahul Gandhi tried to corner PM Modi on issues of atrocities against Dalits. “PM Modi will never forget to mention Dalits in his public meetings. However, he will remain silent when a Dalit is actually attacked by his own party men,” he said, adding "the BJP-RSS is assaulting Dalits across the nation."
Hitting back at the Congress over the video on Reddy brothers, the state BJP said, "You face more than 67 cases of corruption yourself, have given tickets to Jailbirds Anand Singh, Nagendra & Kheny. Still lecture!"
Through a 80-second-video clipping posted on Twitter, Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked PM Modi over the BJP's choice of candidates for the elections. He said, "Dear Modi ji, You talk a lot. Problem is, your actions don’t match your words. Here's a primer on your candidate selection in Karnataka. It plays like an episode of "Karnataka's Most Wanted"."
With only a week left for the state to go to the polls, the BJP has intensified its campaign in Karnataka. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address four public meetings at Tumakuru, Gadag, Shivamogga and Mangaluru on Saturday. BJP chief Amit Shah will also address the public through roadshows in Piriyapattana, Varuna, Chamaraja, Krishnaraja and NR constituencies. Follow this space for all the updates on Karnataka Assembly elections.