Karnataka election campaign ends; Shah says BJP will win at least 130 seats

Karnataka Assembly election 2018: For BJP, Amit Shah, B S Yeddyurappa campaigned in state today, while Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah campaigned for Congress on the final day

Fever pitch campaigning in Karnataka for assembly elections to be held on Saturday (May 12) came to an end on Thursday evening at 5 pm. The campaigning by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) was electric in content and delivery, ranging from mud-slinging of rival opponents to religion. The run-up to the elections saw top ministers and leaders from every party, attempting to woo voters across the state with their signature campaigning styles. Till the very last minute, the BJP consistently sought to expose the Congress for allegedly resorting to foul means to win the elections.

For the BJP, party president Amit Shah and the party's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa campaigned in the state today, while Congress chief Gandhi and incumbent Chief Minister Siddaramaiah campaigned for their party on the final day.  

On Thursday, hours before the curtains came down on campaigning, key leaders, Rahul Gandhi, Piyush Goyal and Amit Shah addressed separate press conferences during which they highlighted key aspects and focus areas of each party's campaign that lasted close to two months. The BJP believes that a win in Karnataka will be its gateway to dominating politics in the South. The Congress is of the view that a win in Karnataka will give it the clout in requires to challenge the BJP in the 2019 general elections, while the Janata Dal (Secular) is essaying the kingmaker's role in anticipation of a possible split verdict.

The surfacing of a huge number of fake voter identity cards from an apartment in Bengaluru's Jalahalli area and the Election Commission stepping in to investigate it has dominated the media space over the last 48 hours. Both the Congress and the BJP continue to indulge in charges and counter-charges.

Apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress chief Gandhi, the Karnataka election campaign has also seen political heavyweights Sonia Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath campaign for their respective parties. 

In the 225-member state legislative assembly, including one nominated member, a party requires 113 legislators to form a government with a simple majority. Polling, however, will be held in 223 constituencies across the state instead of 224 seats due to countermanding of the election in Bengaluru's Jayanagar segment following the death of BJP contestant B N Vijaya Kumar on May 4. Ironically, BJP lost in the 2013 Assembly to the Congress after Yeddyurappa left it in 2012 and formed the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) in 2013 to win six seats and reducing it to 40 seats across the state. The counting of votes and announcement of result will take place on May 15.

Here are the top ten developments regarding the May 12 Karnataka Assembly election 2018:  

1. Campaigning in poll-bound Karnataka ends: The vitriol-filled campaign for the Karnataka Assembly elections ended today with top leaders of the BJP and Congress, including Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, making a last-gasp effort to sway the voters in a likely cliffhanger.

From corruption to communalism, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's Rs 7 million (Rs 70 lakh) Hublot watch to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin, the electoral potboiler had it all.

Karnataka elections: Chief ministerial canditates B S Yeddyurappa (BJP) and Siddaramaiah (Congress)

Like all state polls since he assumed the reins of power in New Delhi, Modi helmed the BJP's adrenaline-charged campaign despite the party having declared B S Yeddyurappa its chief ministerial candidate, while Rahul Gandhi helmed that of the Congress.

Though Modi remained out of the electoral scene for a long time after addressing a public meeting in February, he launched a blitzkrieg on May 1, addressing over a score of rallies in his bid to wrest the key southern state, which BJP chief Amit Shah dubbed as the party's "gateway to south", from the Congress.

The last day of campaigning for the Karnataka polls comes after Prime Minister Modi and Congress chief Gandhi were face-to-face in the state on the second last day for the campaigning. Working seriously on his 'Congress-mukt Bharat' mission, Modi used all of his oratory skills to lambast the Congress in his four election rallies on Wednesday. On the other hand, Gandhi said in his Basavanagudi rally that the people of Karnataka would reject Prime Minister Modi and the BJP. The Congress president also attacked the Prime Minister for being silent on the issue of alleged Dalit atrocities. 

2. Modi should have raised China's move to encircle India, says Rahul Gandhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the BJP-led government of decimating the country's foreign policy and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have raised with China the Doklam issue and its efforts to encircle India.

Addressing a press conference two days ahead of the voting in Karnataka, Gandhi answered questions on a range of issues, including a BJP leader's remark to dub him "election Hindu" and alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party does not understand the meaning of the word Hindu.

He did not give a direct answer to a query about the move of the Siddaramaiah government to recommend minority status to the Lingayats and said that the Congress seeks to empower communities.

"There is a difference between helping a community express itself, empowering a community. What the BJP is busy doing with the Dalits and with minorities is crushing them, killing them, humiliating them. There is a big difference. The Congress perspective is -- we help people empower themselves," he said.

Answering a query on BJP's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa calling him an "election Hindu", Rahul Gandhi said he had been visiting temples and other religious institutions.

3. BJP will win 130 seats in Karnataka, says Amit Shah: BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday claimed that his party will win more than 130 seats in Karnataka polls.

He made this claim when asked whether BJP would go for a post-poll alliance with any party.

"BJP will win more than 130 seats & form government in Karnataka. There is no question of seeking or giving support to anyone," Shah said while addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, according to news agency ANI.

Cornering the ruling Congress over law and order situation in the state, "The Law & order situation has seen a downfall in Karnataka. More than 24 workers of BJP & Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were brutally killed in the state and Congress considers it a part of politics. No efforts were made to nab the culprits."

He alleged that the Congress was trying to win the election with undemocratic ways.

"Congress is trying to win elections with undemocratic ways. Recovery of Voter ID cards in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar shows how desperately Congress wants to win the election," Shah said.

Amit Shah holds massive road show in Badami: In a display of strength, BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday took out a massive road show in Badami from where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is in the fray in the Karnataka assembly polls.

Painting the town saffron, festoons and BJP flags fluttered all along Badami in north Karnataka as Shah gave a final push for the party, which seeks to return to power in the only southern state it had ruled.

Thousands of party workers sporting ochre colour caps danced to the drumbeats, whistled, screamed and raised slogans vowing to bring the BJP to power and defeat Siddaramaiah, who is also contesting from Chamundeshwari seat in Mysuru.

Taking the onlookers by awe and surprise, party workers thronged the road disrupting the entire Badami town for more than two hours.

Beating the summer heat, the party workers marched all along the route enthusiastically.

Quintals of saffron colour marigold flowers were splashed on a bus converted to look like a saffron chariot that carried Shah, BJP's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa and its Badami candidate B Sriramulu.

4. BJP claims Modi connected with 2.5 million people through NaMo app: Narendra Modi has reached out to a whopping 2.5 million (25 lakh) people in Karnataka through several video interactions on his app, a BJP functionary claimed today, asserting that he is the only global leader to have adopted this unique communication tool.

Modi today concluded his interactions- which happened in the run-up to the Karnataka assembly polls scheduled for May 12- with an interaction with the workers of the state BJP's SC, ST, OBC and slum wings.

BJP IT department in-charge Amit Malviya claimed Modi through the live video interactions on 'NaMo' app created a unique way of electioneering and reached out to 2.5 million (25 lakh) people, which included party's candidates, workers and supporters, in the poll-bound state.

5. Karnataka will vote for BJP government to bring in Modi-led development, says Javadekar: Riding on the "popularity" of Narendra Modi, the BJP is confident of winning the May 12 Karnataka Assembly election, claimed Union Human Resource Development Minister and party's state in-charge Prakash Javadekar.

"The BJP will win the assembly elections with majority because the people have confidence in the development model and leadership of Modi. They will vote for us to ensure good governance in the state," asserted Javadekar in an interview to IANS in Bengaluru.

Betting on anti-incumbency against the ruling Congress, the opposition BJP is also banking on "trust" the people have in its chief ministerial nominee B S Yeddyurappa, who was its maiden Chief Minister in south India a decade ago when the party came to power in the state for the first time and ruled for 5 years.

"People's love and respect for Yeddyurappa, positive voting and anti-incumbency will enable our party to secure majority to form the next government," said Javadekar.

Karnataka Assembly election 2018: Congress President Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference in Bengaluru today. Photo: @ANI

6) PM has nothing to offer to Karnataka, distracting from issues, says Rahul: Countering Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attack on his prime ministerial ambitions, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday slammed Modi, saying he was seeking to distract the public from the real issues in Karnataka where he claimed the Congress will win hands down in the Assembly elections.

"Modi likes to distract people. This election has nothing to do with Rahul Gandhi. This election is about the future of Karnataka. Narendra Modi has nothing to say about the future of Karnataka. He is, therefore, distracting. I am not going to engage in that distraction," Gandhi said at a press conference here on the last day of campaigning for the May 12 elections.

He also accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of trying to crush the spirit of the people of Karnataka and said the Congress will not allow it to happen.

He was quizzed about Modi's attack on him following his declaration that he could be Prime Minister if the Congress emerges as the largest party in the 2019 general elections.

Gandhi had thrown his hat into the ring on Tuesday. Asked by the media whether he harboured prime ministerial ambitions, the Congress chief replied in the affirmative and that it depended on his party emerging as the single-largest party in 2019.

My mother more Indian than many Indians, says Rahul Gandhi: "My mother is more Indian than many Indians," an emotional Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday, as he responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sarcastic barb at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi over her foreign origin.

The Congress president recalled how, despite being an Italian by birth, his mother made sacrifices for the country.

"My mother is an Italian. She has lived the larger part of her life in India. She is more Indian than many, many Indians I have seen. She has sacrificed her life for the country, she has suffered for the country. When Modi makes such comments, it shows the quality of the man. I am happy if he enjoys making such comments, he is welcome," he told a press conference before winding up his extensive tour of election-bound Karnataka, according to news agency PTI.
 

"My mother is more Indian than many Indian people I see. She has sacrificed & suffered for the country." Watch Congress President @RahulGandhi's response to a question on PM Modi's abusive tirade against his family. #CongressForNavaKarnataka pic.twitter.com/lUrQPXQcN5

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 10, 2018

The issue of Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin was raked up by Modi at an election rally in Santemaranahalli on May 1 where he dared the Congress chief to speak for 15 minutes about the achievements of the Karnataka government in any language, including his "mother's mother tongue".

The Congress, during its last day of campaign, accused a BJP candidate to bribe for a clean chit for looting Karnataka in the mining scam. The Congress based its allegation on a regional media report that said that a BJP MP Sriramulu was allegedly caught on tape in a sting operation where is heard talking about paying Rs 1.6 billion (Rs 160 crore) to a Supreme Court judge in one the mining cases. He is talking to the SC judge's son-in-law.


ALSO READ: Identity politics: A defining trait of Karnataka polls

7) No place for Dalits and backwards in the heart of Congress, says Modi: There is no place for Dalits and backward classes in the heart of the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today, asserting his government is trying to realise B R Ambedkar's dream of a powerful and prosperous India.

Launching a blistering attack on the Congress over the way it has treated Dalits, Modi said the party showed no respect for Ambedkar.

The Congress, he alleged, used "all its power" to defeat Ambedkar when he contested Lok Sabha election in 1952 and Bandara Lok Sabha by-election in 1953.

"That is the reason why Baba Saheb had to face defeat and insult. Let Congress show at least one thing it did to honour Baba Saheb," he said.

Addressing BJP's SC/ST/OBC and Slum Morcha workers through his Namo App, Modi said, "There is no place for dalits and backward classes in the heart of the Congress."

8) 'Prime Minister vs aspiring prime minister': Modi and Gandhi on Wednesday were face-to-face in Karnataka on the second last day for the campaigning, in what one news agency described as the Prime Minister and aspiring prime minister squaring off.   

Continuing with what he has dubbed the 'Congress Mukt Bharat' mission, Prime Minister Modi used all of his oratory skills to lambast the Congress in his four election rallies on Wednesday. Modi did not miss the political fodder provided by the Congress president, who, on Tuesday, said he would become the prime minister if Congress emerges as the single largest party after the 2019 general elections. Addressing a rally in Bidar, Modi took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi over his remarks. "The newly elected Congress president has pre-announced that he will become the Prime Minister of the country in 2019. Congress thinks that the Prime Minister's seat is reserved for just one dynasty," Modi said.

Further attacking the Congress, Modi, while hinting at Rahul's meeting with Lalu Prasad, who has been convicted in several fodder scam cases, said Congress leaders have the time to meet corrupt people but had no time to meet jailed freedom fighters arrested by British authorities during the freedom struggle. 

On the other hand, Rahul said in his Basavanagudi rally that people of Karnataka will reject Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Congress president also attacked the Prime Minister for being silent on the issue of alleged Dalit atrocities. "While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay his tribute to B R Ambedkar, he stays 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," he said. 

9) Modi latches on to Siddaramaiah's gaffe: Reacting to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's gaffe in an election rally on Tuesday, when he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi instead of Congress candidate Narendra Swamy, the Prime Minister on Wednesday said that the truth has come out. "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," said Modi. "Why is the agenda of Congress only Modi, I fail to understand," he added.  

Read our detailed copy on the Karnataka election campaign: Karnataka polls: Congress, BJP blame each other for fake voter IDs; updates 

10) Congress moves EC over Karnataka voter IDs incident: The Congress on Wednesday moved the Election Commission (EC), alleging the BJP's hand behind the Bengaluru incident where counterfoils and voter IDs were recovered from a flat in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar Assembly constituency and demanded stern action against those responsible. The party also complained to the poll panel against alleged misuse of Income Tax authorities to intimidate and malign Congress candidates. 

In the wee hours of Wednesday, the EC had filed an FIR after 9,746 voter ID cards were found in a flat in the Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency, along with around 100,000 (1 lakh) counterfoils resembling acknowledgement slips used for addition of names into electoral rolls.  

The Congress' memorandum submitted to the poll panel accused the BJP of "a concerted conspiracy" and "fabricating and concocting and enacting fake midnight drama", and said that the 9,746 voter cards were recovered from a flat "belonging to BJP associates". 

"The raid was stage-managed. The flat belonged to a BJP leader. Those who conducted raids were BJP people, not EC or police. Two Union Ministers also reached there late in the night. This proves that the party is rattled over imminent defeat. We expect the Commission to take action immediately. FIR should be lodged and it should order the arrest of BJP leaders," Congress leader Anand Sharma told reporters. He also alleged that the BJP had been using huge amounts of cash and resources in its bid to influence voters. 

BJP moves EC, seeks countermanding of Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency poll: Accusing the Congress of trying to influence the Assembly polls in Karnataka, the BJP on Wednesday moved the EC to countermand the election in the Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency over the voter ID cards found there in a flat.   

A BJP delegation, which included Union ministers J P Nadda, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Smriti Irani, S S Ahluwalia, Dharmendra Pradhan, and party spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi, told the Commission that scrapping the poll in the constituency was necessary to "reinstate people's faith" in the electoral process, Irani told reporters. 

Briefing reporters after meeting the poll panel officials, Nadda said, "We have demanded countermanding of the election in Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly constituency in Karnataka." Nadda alleged that the incident had shown Congress' design to influence the election process in the high-stakes state polls and added that there was "enough evidence" for this. "Congress party and its candidate are behind this scam. Whereas BJP acted vigilantly and workers exposed this. Our party workers had informed the local authorities at 11 am in the morning but no action was taken until 4 pm by the local administration. This shows the biased approach of local administration by favouring Congress," he said. 

With agency inputs