Congress thinks PM’s seat is reserved for just one dynasty: Narendra Modi

“From morning till evening, while sleeping and while awake, he has only thing in his mind and that is the prime minister’s chair,” he added.

PM Modi’s attack on Gandhi at his rallies in Bangarpet and Chikkamagaluru came a day after the Congress president said he was ready to occupy the prime minister’s post if his party emerged as the largest party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, making known his ambition for the topmost executive post.

READ | PM in 2019 if Congress wins majority? Yes, why not, says Rahul Gandhi

“The naamdar who does not have confidence in his alliance partners…who doesn’t care for the Congress’ internal democracy, whose arrogance has reached cloud seven, and is declaring himself that he would be the prime minister in 2019…will the country ever accept such an immature ‘naamdar’ leader?” PM Modi told election rallies.

“Yesterday in Karnataka and India’s politics something happened. All of a sudden one person came and he declared…..(he) did not care about others who are standing in the line. (He) did not care about other coalition partners.

“There are leaders waiting for 40 years….He came all of a sudden…and said I will become the prime minister,” the prime minister said during the final lap of his campaign blitz in poll-bound Karnataka, where voting will be held on May 12. He asked the gathering whether it was not a reflection of the Congress president’s “arrogance.” He also wanted to know whether it did not show the state of internal democracy in the Congress party.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi, who also addressed public meetings in Bengaluru, continued with his tirade against the prime minister. He said says Modi’s criticism against Congress and Siddarmaiah shows post of PM in a bad light. “You should’ve seen Congress. We oppose PM, we speak against him but we respect PM’s post. He thinks if he speaks against Congress, against Siddaramaiah, his party will be benefited. But this shows PM’s post in a bad light, he’ll never understand this,” said Gandhi.

The Congress president also said that while PM Modi would pay his tribute to BR Ambedkar, he stayed quiet when people from SC and ST communities are attacked. “People will throw out Narendra Modi and the BJP from Karnataka first, followed by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh,” Gandhi said.

He also lashed out at the prime minister for calling Bengaluru a ‘garbage city’. “Some people have insulted the beautiful city of Bengaluru by calling it a ‘garbage city’. We promise to take Bengaluru further along the road of success and help it emerge as one of the world’s best cities. The spirit of Bengaluru draws people from across the nation. This is a city where people live fearlessly and in peace. This city celebrates unity in diversity and makes India proud,” said Gandhi.

Read | Karnataka elections highlights 

On the seizure of thousands of alleged fake voter ID cards and a lakh Form-6 (voter registration form) applications for the inclusion and transfer of voters from a flat in Rajrajeshwari Assembly seat, PM Modi said, “Looking at defeat in front of them, as their tricks did not work, they have started a new game. “I want to tell the people to be alert till May 12 (the day of voting)…The Congress shamelessly is using undemocratic means.”

Citing media reports, he alleged that by using thousands of fake voter ID cards, the Congress was attempting to win the election. “Income Tax department conducted raids in Badami. Huge stashes of cash and jewellery were seized. Such acts of Congress are defaming Badami and entire Karnataka. Making multiple fake voter ID Cards to win elections is the tactic of Congress, people should never forgive such party. Fearing a crushing defeat, Congress is indulging in all kinds of malpractices,” he added.

Read | BJP, Congress at loggerheads over ‘fake’ voter I-card row ahead of voting

Prime Minister Modi also said the “Congress culture, communalism, casteism, crime, corruption and contract system” were the “six Cs destroying” Karnataka’s future. Addressing another rally in Belagavi, PM said he fails to understand why ‘only Modi’ is the agenda of the Congress.  “The Chief Minister was campaigning for a Congress candidate whose name is also Narendra… but he only kept saying Narendra Modi and praised Narendra Modi too. The truth seems to have come out,” he insisted.

Addressing his last public meeting in Bidar, the prime minister said, “Rapists must not be forgiven. But rapes must not be selectively politicised. When public demands justice in these cases, it is not right to lathicharge them.”

“We have approved stringent punishments including death penalty for those who commit devilish deeds against women. Such things cannot be tolerated at all,” he added. “Congress keeps asking what Modi has done but it must tell the people of Karnataka what its government has done in the last five years for the people of the state,” he concluded.

Karnataka goes to polls on May 12 and the counting of votes will take place on May 15.

(With PTI inputs)