Karnataka Elections Highlights: PM Modi responds to Cong chief Kharge’s ‘snake’ jibe at Kolar rally

#WATCH | Karnataka: Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets people after his roadshow in Mysuru.#KarnatakaElections pic.twitter.com/AcwzqGkGng

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2023

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday described the scenic beauty of Coorg in Karnataka as "stunning" and said the BJP government in the state will prioritise promoting and conserving such places blessed by nature.

Shah visited the hill station on Saturday during the ongoing campaigning for the May 10 assembly elections in the state and released on Instagram some of pictures and videos of the tourist destination.

"The natural beauty of Coorg is truly stunning. Its emerald-green forests and stunning landscapes are sights to behold. The BJP government in Karnataka will prioritise promoting and conserving such places blessed by nature.#IncredibleIndia," Shah said in a post on Instagram. (PTI)

There is an old saying in Kannada: “Halli li nadeyo Rajakeeya Dilli lu nadyalla”. It roughly translates to “the politics taking place in villages does not happen in Delhi (Parliament) as well”, meaning that it is hard to figure out the ground reality from Delhi.

#WATCH | Karnataka: Huge crowd gathered in Mysuru as Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a roadshow.#KarnatakaElections pic.twitter.com/N6bZVHrYr7

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2023

#WATCH | Karnataka: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a roadshow in Mysuru. pic.twitter.com/R7GUWnjliI

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2023

Congress leader M B Patil said he was a senior Lingayat leader and former BJP leaders Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi's entry into the party would neither threaten his position nor affect his prospects of becoming chief minister.

"In Lingayats, I am much more senior than Shettar and Savadi...," he said in response to a query on whether two senior BJP leaders joining his party has affected his chances of becoming a CM.

Patil also said that he too is a contender for the chief minister's post, though senior leader Siddaramaih and KPCC chief D K Shivakumar are the frontrunners for the position. "Although I am capable of becoming a CM like many others, ultimately the party will decide," he said, and added that except in Punjab, nowhere has the Congress party announced its CM candidate.

Patil is contesting from Babaleshwar, one of the eight assembly constituencies in Vijayapura district. (PTI)

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday remarked about Prime Minister Narendra's statement about verbal abuse, saying one has to take such attacks in their stride in public life, and counselled him to learn from her brother Rahul Gandhi, who "is ready to take a bullet for the sake of the country".

At a public meeting in Bagalkote district, Vadra, commenting on the PM's statement, said: "At least they (91 abuses) are fitting on one page; if you look at the abuses by them to my family and if we start making a list, we will publish books after books about it".

"It is strange what I'm seeing from the past two-three days. I have seen many Prime Ministers, Indira ji (Indira Gandhi), she took bullets for this country. I have seen Rajiv Gandhi, he sacrificed his life for this country. I have seen P V Narsimha Rao and Manmohan Singh working hard for this country," she said. (PTI)

#WATCH| Karnataka: "Who brought inflation? Who looted people? Who made you suffer by introducing GST?..." Priyanka Gandhi, Congress Gen Secy in Kudachi, Belagavi#KarnatakaElection2023 pic.twitter.com/JG6DAwSjYX

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2023

#WATCH| Karnataka's Congress unit works round the clock for one family sitting in Delhi. For every decision, they need to have a green signal from that family. JD(S) is a pvt ltd party of a single family. They're spending their energies on welfare of their family: PM Modi, Belur pic.twitter.com/4XZ9tjQ92P

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2023

Karnataka | Congress president Kharge ji commented on PM Modi. This shows that Congress is losing in Karnataka. An insult to the Prime Minister is an insult to the nation. They insult India. They insult the 140 crore people of India. We should not accept anyone who insults India:… pic.twitter.com/ghD7gNegWo

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2023

#WATCH | Whenever Congress govt came to power in Karnataka, they put brakes on development. When PM Modi asked for names of farmers for Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Kumaraswamy's govt sent 17 names. When Yeddyurappa ji's govt came, 54 lakh farmers got Kisan Samman Nidhi: BJP… pic.twitter.com/e4Fl0e6taK

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2023

#WATCH | Congress & JD(S) are symbols of instability. Congress-ruled states are popular for the fight among its leaders, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan are the examples. JD(S) is the B team of Congress and it wants to join Congress in looting Karnataka: PM Modi in Belur, Karnataka pic.twitter.com/H4SqNkQ5l1

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2023

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said if her party is voted to power in the Karnataka Assembly election, the honorarium of workers at major Anganwadis will be increased to Rs 15,000 per month, and for those in mini Anganwadis, it will be hiked to Rs 10,000.

“Our party has decided to increase the honorarium up to Rs 15,000 for my sisters in major Anganwadis and Rs 10,000 for women in mini Anganwadis. The honorarium of the ASHA workers will be hiked to Rs 8,000 and those working for the mid-day meals will get Rs 5,000.” Vadra also promised to give Rs three lakh to the workers of main Anganwadis on their retirement or to their nominee in the event of death due to accident and Rs two lakh to those working in mini Anganwadis.

She slammed the BJP government for its "lies and deception", saying it "ruled the state in such a bad way that it got the tag of 40 per cent commission government". (PTI)

According to a press release by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, yesterday 31,119 people in the age group of 80+ and PwD voters cast votes at their homes. 

"Congress has again started abusing me. They call me a 'snake' but a snake is the necklace of Lord Shiv and for me, the public of Karnataka is Shiv. Let them abuse me but this time BJP will again win with full majority, " says PM Narendra Modi in Karnataka

#WATCH | "Congress has again started abusing me. They call me a 'snake' but a snake is the necklace of Lord Shiv and for me, the public of Karnataka is Shiv. Let them abuse me but this time BJP will again win with full majority, " says PM Narendra Modi in Karnataka pic.twitter.com/Rr8lV9K5pc

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2023

"Hundred per cent of the amount sent by the BJP government today reaches the beneficiary. In the past nine years, with the strength of 'Digital India', Rs 29 lakh crore has been credited into the bank account of the poor, under various schemes," the PM said.

"If Congress that eats 85 per cent commission had continued, Rs 24 lakh crore out of this could not have reached the poor," he claimed, adding that BJP came to power only nine years ago and stopped this. He asked people to "imagine about the lakhs of crores of rupees that Congress leaders had filled in their lockers before that". (PTI)

"There is a reason why the country has lost trust in Congress and its 'shahi parivar': Congress's identity has always been associated with 85 per cent commission. During Congress's rule its top leader and then prime minister used to say with pride that if he sends Rs one from Delhi,15 paise reaches them (people) on ground. Congress's claws used to snatch away 85 paise of the poor," Modi said.

"This is not BJP's allegation, but it is the public acceptance of the Congress's former prime minister. Congress that eats 85 per cent commission can never work for the development of Karnataka," he said. (PTI)

"This election of Karnataka is not just to make MLA, Minister or Chief Minister for the coming 5 years, this election is to strengthen the foundation of the roadmap of a developed India in the coming 25 years," said PM Modi, while addressing a rally at Channapatana in Ramanagara District.

'Congress hate me because I am fighting against corruption. They are threating me and abusing me. For this election, Congress has the topic 'poisonous snake', they are comparing me to a snake. The people of Karnataka will give them a befitting answer on May 10,' Modi said in his meeting in Kolar.

'Congress is an 'outdated engine'. Development is halted due to them. Congress has a bundle of fake guarantees. Thye doesn't fulfil any promise made to the public. 'Unfulfilled guarantees' are their record. They betrayed the public, but BJP fulfilled all the guarantees by doing several development works,' Modi said in the meeting on Sunday.  

Doubling down on the attack, he said, "Congress has done nothing for the farmers. They made promises to them but gave nothing to them. It was BJP who gave Rs 2.5 lakh cr to them (farmers) in their accounts. They always neglected the poor. We are constantly working for the development of the farmers."

"Congress has always done appeasement politics. BJP is not for appeasement but for satisfaction. Congress has always grown under corruption. Only BJP can take immediate action on corruption," he added.

On the second day of his two-day visit to poll-bound Karnataka, PM Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting in Kolar, and once again trained guns on the Congress, saying that the grand old party was the “biggest hindrance to development in the state”, reported ANI. The PM will also take part in rallies in Channapattna and Belur today.

"Today's gathering will make Congress and JDS lose sleep. Both parties are the biggest hindrance in the process of development. The public has clean-bowled them. We have to save the people of Karnataka from the corrupt govt of Congress and JDS," the PM was quoted as saying.

The Congress will come to power on its own with 130-odd seats out of 224 in the Karnataka assembly elections and the BJP's alleged 'Operation Kamala' of poaching MLAs post polls will not be successful this time, said senior Congress leader and ex-minister M B Patil.

Speaking to PTI, Patil, also the campaign committee chairman, denied "internal fight" in the Congress and defended the party leaders holding aspirations to become chief minister.

The former home and water resources minister also said he has neither been sidelined nor losing his importance in the party after Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi, the tall Lingayat leaders from BJP, joined the Congress. (PTI)

Over the next 11 days, PM Modi is expected to hold as many as 22 rallies across the state till May 7, news agency ANI reported. On each visit, PM Modi is scheduled to take part in more than three rallies.

Check out the star campaigner's journey around the poll-bound state so far here.

Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will lose the next month's Assembly elections in Karnataka.

He was responding to a reporter's question here about the chances of the Congress, his former party, in the poll-bound southern state.

“If I say we are winning, then I will be called a Congressman," he said in a lighter vein. The Grand Old Party will wrest the power from the BJP, he said.

On the formation of a new front of opposition parties, Sibal said, “There should be a common agenda. All parties should come together and I will personally try to work in this direction to set up such a coalition." The senior lawyer said to a question that at 75 he was not interested in contesting elections.

On whether he would ever join the Congress again, Sibal said, "I have left Congress, but not its ideology." (PTI)

Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will lose the next month's Assembly elections in Karnataka.

He was responding to a reporter's question here about the chances of the Congress, his former party, in the poll-bound southern state.

“If I say we are winning, then I will be called a Congressman," he said in a lighter vein. The Grand Old Party will wrest the power from the BJP, he said.

On the formation of a new front of opposition parties, Sibal said, “There should be a common agenda. All parties should come together and I will personally try to work in this direction to set up such a coalition." The senior lawyer said to a question that at 75 he was not interested in contesting elections.

On whether he would ever join the Congress again, Sibal said, "I have left Congress, but not its ideology." (PTI)

On his first campaign visit after the BJP declared candidates for the Karnataka Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday focused his speeches on the “poisonous snake” reference to him by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, saying he considered it an “honour” to be insulted by the Congress since it has in the past similarly “abused” people like B R Ambekdar and V D Savarkar.

Beginning his two-day visit to poll-bound Karnataka, PM Narendra Modi Saturday trained guns on the Congress over Mallikarjun Kharge’s ‘poisonous snake’ barb at him and said that party and its leaders have hurled at him different types of abuses 91 times.

Good morning! Welcome to today's live blog. With 11 days to go for the May 10 Assembly Elections in Karnataka, we bring to you latest updates, ground reports and analysis from the state. Stay tuned!

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday lashed out at Congress and said that the Congress Government led by Siddaramaiah was the most corrupt government in the state.

Speaking at the BJP election rally in Humnabad which was held under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bommai said, "Congress leaders termed the Lingayats as corrupt. But the reality is that the Congress Government led by Siddaramaiah was the most corrupt government." Reacting to the AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge's remark of 'a poisonous snake' about PM Modi, Bommai said, "Kharge made an atrocious statement against PM Modi, the meaning of Narendra Modi is 'defeat' of the Congress Party". (ANI)

Ending a busy day of electioneering for the BJP in poll-bound Karnataka after back-to-back rallies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in a mega roadshow in north Bengaluru on Saturday drawing an enormous response from a huge crowd.

The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday asked Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Meena to keep vigil against corrupt practices in the run-up to the May 10 Assembly elections in the state. The directions come after an FIR was filed against state minister and BJP candidate V Somanna for allegedly trying to bribe a competitor to drop out of the polls.

On his first campaign visit after the BJP declared candidates for the Karnataka Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday focused his speeches on the “poisonous snake” reference to him by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, saying he considered it an “honour” to be insulted by the Congress since it has in the past similarly “abused” people like B R Ambedkar and V D Savarkar.

Ending a busy day of electioneering for the BJP in poll-bound Karnataka after back-to-back rallies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in a mega roadshow in north Bengaluru on Saturday. 

Modi, who flew into the city from Kudachi in Belagavi district in northern Karnataka around 5 pm after addressing his third public meeting in the state, rode in a specially designed vehicle. Sporting a saffron cap, Modi was flanked by Bangalore North MP D V Sadananda Gowda and BJP MLC C Narayanaswamy.(PTI)

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday said Narendra Modi is the only Prime Minister she has ever seen who narrates his agony before people instead of listening to their woes.

"I have seen many Prime Ministers right from Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh but this (Modi) is the first Prime Minister who instead of listening to the woes of people narrates his agony to them," Vadra said at a public rally in Navalgund town of Dharwad district ahead of May 10 elections in Karnataka.

"Corruption is done so brazenly that those who are corrupt are getting ticket (to contest election) and those who are not are denied a ticket. He (Modi) makes a phone call to those who are corrupt and drives away those who are honest," Vadra said. (PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday gave a new election slogan 'Ee baariya nirdhara, Bahumatada BJP Sarkara' (This time's decision, majority BJP government) for the ruling BJP in Karnataka, ahead of Assembly polls, and expressed confidence about the party coming back to power with a full majority.

"Modi has shut the ways for Congress' corruption. Congress means corruption. While Congress' account has 'Corruption Kaal', there is 'Amrit Kaal' in BJP's account. Congress is worried as all its sources (of corruption) have been shut, so they are chanting ‘Modi teri kabar khudegi' (Modi your grave will be dug). While Congress is busy digging Modi's grave, people are ensuring lotus blooms," Modi said. (PTI)

BJP supporters gathered in huge numbers at Sumanahalli where Prime Minister is set to hold a roadshow. The 5km roadshow will begin at Magadi Road NICE Junction and will culminate at Sumanahalli Junction. The roadshow will cover four constituencies including RR Nagar, Mahalakshmi, Yeshwanthpur, and Dasarahalli. 

BJP candidate from Ballari City G Somasekhara Reddy has said his brother’s wife and rival KRPP candidate Aruna Laxmi is a “housewife and has no idea about the problems of the constituency.” Aruna Laxmi is wife of mining baron G Janardhana Reddy.

BJP candidate from Ballari City G Somasekhara Reddy has said his brother’s wife and rival KRPP candidate Aruna Laxmi is a “housewife and has no idea about the problems of the constituency.” Aruna Laxmi is wife of mining baron G Janardhana Reddy.

The Election Commission has directed its chief electoral officer in poll-going Karnataka to ensure constant monitoring of ground situation and strengthen vigil over various social media platforms for prompt action against attempts to bribe or intimidate candidates and voters, sources said on Saturday.

The Commission's directive came after an audio clip was circulated on social media about an alleged attempt by BJP candidate from Chamarajanagar, V Somana, to influence Mallikarjuna Swamy alias Alur Mallu of JD (S) to withdraw candidature by offering money and a government vehicle, sources said.

An FIR has been filed in the matter under Section 171E and 171 F of IPC in Town Police Station, Chamarajanagar, they said. (PTI)

"Babasaheb Ambedkar himself had once said in detail that Congress abused him repeatedly. Congress had called Babasaheb Ambedkar 'Rakshas', 'Rashtra Drohi', 'Dagabaaz Dost'...you will be shocked to hear. Even today we see how Congress abuses Veer Savarkar. Congress has abused stalwarts of this country," Modi said.

"Looking at this I feel that Congress respects me like they did to Babasaheb Ambedkar, Veer Savarkar, as Congress is abusing me in a similar way. I feel it as a gift to me. Let the Congress abuse me, I will continue to work for the country and its people. With your (people) blessings all their abuses will get mixed in mud. Congress people understand, as much mud you sling at us, the lotus will bloom," he added. (PTI)

Training guns on the Congress over its President M Mallikarjun Kharge's 'venomous snake' barb at him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said till now that party and its leaders have hurled at him different types of abuses 91 times.

Addressing a public rall in Bidar district, he said, 'someone has made a list of such abuses against me and it has been sent to me. Till now Congress people have abused me 91 times with different types. Had Congress people put efforts in good governance and boosting the morale of its workers, instead of wasting time on this dictionary of abuses, Congress would not have been in such a pathetic plight.'

"I'm not the only one who has been attacked like this. Last election they ran a campaign 'Chowkidar chor hai', then they said 'Modi Chor', then they said 'OBC community are chor', and now just the election season has started in Karnataka they showed the guts of calling my Lingayat brothers and sisters chor." "Congress people listen with open ears, whenever you have abused someone they have punished you in such a way that you have not been able to withstand it. This time Karnataka has decided to respond to the abuses, the pain inflicted to their pride, through votes," he said. (PTI)

Addressing a rally in Karnataka, PM Narendra Modi on Saturday said, "BJP's double engine government is vocal for the local and that is why we keep on encouraging our weavers and handicraftsmen". 

"BJP's double engine government is a government that gives strength to aspirations, a government that makes dreams come true... Double engine government is a government of youth," Modi said. 

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddarmaiah loses balance while getting inside the car in Karnataka's Vijayanagara district. 

#WATCH | Former Karnataka CM & leader of opposition Siddaramaiah loses balance while getting inside the car, in Vijayanagara district

'I am doing fine and there is no need to worry. It was just a slip while getting inside the car,' he tweets pic.twitter.com/OUIJqA9OEI

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2023

Every Friday, the cattle market in Channarayapatna town, located in Hassan and bordering the Mandya region of Karnataka, sees farmers from across the region gathered to buy and sell cattle. On sale are a mix — cows that produce milk, young and old draught breeds of cows and oxes used for farming, bulls and buffaloes.

Seated on a stone in the market holding a pair of the Hallikar breed of cattle (a draught breed used for farming) is Somme Gowda, a farmer from K R Pet in Mandya, who says he was here at 6 am when the market opened, and five hours later, has not been able to sell his cattle. Read more

Manoj Kumar Meena, the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka, said Saturday that there were over 50 per cent convictions in cases relating to the model code of conduct (MCC) violations in the state. “Karnataka is one the states where the highest convictions have happened. Last time, 2,000-odd cases were booked. All were charge-sheeted, all were tried. I think we have done more than 50 per cent conviction in Karnataka,” Meena told PTI in an interview. Read more

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Satish Jarkiholi is a three-time legislator from Yemkanmardi, a constituency in Belagavi district reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community. In an interview, he tells The Indian Express that the BJP government’s new reservation policy would not cause a major shift in the SC-ST vote to the ruling party. The “insult” the BJP has meted out to Lingayat leaders will benefit the Congress as some of these politicians have joined the Opposition party, Jarkiholi says, but adds, “It is not possible that the votes will swing completely in our favour.” Akram M speaks to Satish Jarkhiholi

Attacking the Congress for abusing him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "enough, I have received a 'list' of the abuses, Congress has made against me; it's 91 times they have done so, till date. Had they spent this time delivering Good Governance to the people instead of creating this Dictionary of Abuses, their condition would not have been this pathetic" 

Addressing a rally in Humnabad, PM Narendra Modi Saturday hit out at the Congress party and accused them of doing "appeasement politics".

"Congress will never understand the struggle and pain of the poor. Congress slowed the pace of houses here. But BJP gave ownership of houses to women here. Congress only did appeasement politics. Karnataka has suffered under the Congress govt. Congress only cares about seats and not about the people of the state. Congress has stalled development in the state," he said. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that it was only under the BJP government which helped Karnataka attract "record-breaking" Foreign Direct Investments.

Modi said: "Under the Congress rule, Karnataka used to attract the annual FDI worth around Rs. 30,000 crore, whereas under the BJP, this number stands at around Rs. 90,000 crore."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that the BJP government in Karnataka had taken the initiative to fulfil people's dreams in the state.

"You all want a Karnataka where highways and expressways continue to expand, where metro facilities extend to more districts, where modern trains like 'Vande Bharat' run in more numbers, where every farm has modern irrigation systems. There should be facilities... The speed of development that the common man has seen in Karnataka in the last five years does not want to stop and BJP has taken the initiative to fulfill these dreams of yours," he said. 

Addressing a rally in Karnataka's Bidar district, PM Modi said, "To ensure the true development in Karnataka, continuation of the Double-Engine Govt is a pre-requisite".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Saturday that the upcoming elections in Karnataka were not just about winning, "but to make Karnataka the No.1 state in the country".

Addressing a public rally in Humnabad in Karnataka's Bidar district, PM Modi said "Karnataka is ready for BJP government again". Modi added, "your massive presence here is a clear message".