Karnataka election: Yeddy-Reddy combo aim to loot, plunder, says Congress

Narendra Modi will continue campaigning for the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 on Thursday. For updates on Karnataka polls read Business Standard

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake his third round of campaigning in poll-bound Karnataka on Thursday. The BJP has also lined up a galaxy of leaders, including Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, to address public meetings in the next few days, BJP sources said. Modi had launched his campaign blitzkrieg yesterday with a blistering attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party. The Prime Minister's next round of campaigning would be at Tumakuru on May 5.

Modi resumed his campaign in the state after a long break yesterday--the last rally he addressed was in February-- as he sought to give a big push to BJP's efforts to return to power in the state for a second time unseating the Congress. The Prime Minister is slated to address another 12 rallies over the next few days before Karnataka goes to poll on May 12. Firebrand Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will campaign in Karnataka on May 3, 4 and 5 and hold 11 public meetings, party sources said. On May 3, he will address public meetings at Sirsi, Sagar, Balehonnur, Belur and Honnalli. He will address meetings at Haliyala, Muddebihal, Mudhol, Teradala the next day, the sources said. On May 5, he will address election rallies at Sedan and Balki. He will also visit Balehonnur Math. Union minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari will hold public meetings at K R Pete, Srirangapattana, Nippani and Belagavi on May 3.

On May 4, Textiles Minister Smriti Irani will address public meetings at Navalgund, Naragund, Kundagol, Guledagudda in Badami and Hubballi. Rajnath Singh will address election rallies at Alanda, Afzalpur, Chittapur and Chincholi the next day, the sources said. BJP's national spokesperson Sambit Patra has also been roped-in for the election battle. He will hold a press conference tomorrow, the sources added.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Deve Gowda poured cold water on Modi's hopes of pre-poll alliance. Gowda insisted there was no possibility of his party tying up with the BJP ahead of the high stakes Karnataka assembly election. Distancing himself from the PM's statement, Deve Gowda said, "a Kannadiga had become the PM. How Siddaramaiah tried to demolish the Kannadigas pride, taking that as a background, he (PM Modi) said this is how Congress gives respect to Kannadigas, this does not mean a 'gathbandhan' (alliance)".

Here are the top 10 developments around Karnataka Assembly election 2018 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign, Siddaramaiah and Deve Gowda's campaign.

1) 'Yeddy-Reddy' combo aim to 'loot', 'plunder': The Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of getting B S Yeddyurappa's name "cleared" in corruption cases through the CBI and said the 'Yeddy-Reddy' combine was seeking to return to power to "loot" and "plunder" the state. Congress leader Rajiv Shukla hit out at the BJP-led central government for "closing down" cases against Yeddyurappa, alleging that through its "puppet" CBI, the government was facilitating a clean chit for the BJP's chief ministerial candidate.

Shukla asked whether the prime minister and BJP President Amit Shah would explain "this sinister conspiracy to put a lid on 'loot of public money' and 'plundering of natural resources', as also the reason for giving 8 BJP tickets to 'Reddy Brothers and associates'?".

"The BJP has no moral right to talk about corruption as its chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa is facing all kinds of charges and whom the party had ousted a few years ago on corruption charges," he told reporters.

2) BJP accuses Congress of playing communal card: The BJP today accused the Congress of playing "communal card" in the poll-bound Karnataka to woo Muslim voters and claimed the state's chief electoral officer was not acting on its complaints, with a delegation of Union ministers moving the Election Commission demanding action against opposition leaders.

Union minister and former BJP president Nitin Gadkari led the delegation to the commission and told reporters later that they had provided "evidence" to back their charges against Congress leaders and state government officials to the election watchdog.

Gadkari alleged Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mallikarjun Kharge in their campaign in a Muslim locality in the state sought the community's votes for their party in the name of Islam.

3) No BJP-JD(S) alliance: HD Deve Gowda today insisted there was no possibility of his party tying up with the BJP ahead of the high stakes Karnataka assembly election. Distancing himself from the PM's statement, Deve Gowda told ANI: "A Kannadiga had become the PM. How Siddaramaiah tried to demolish the Kannadigas pride, taking that as a background, he (PM Modi) said this is how Congress gives respect to Kannadigas, this does not mean a 'gathbandhan' (alliance)".

4) BJP-JD(S) union will not help, says Siddaramaiah: "In many constituencies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD-S) have joined hands, but they still would not be able to defeat us as the people are with us," Siddaramaiah said.

5) Siddaramaiah challenges Modi to speak about Yeddyurappa's achievements: Karnataka CM counter challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak about the achievements of BJP chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa for 15 minutes. "Dear PM @narendramodi ji, I challenge you to speak about the achievements of BS Yeddyurappa's Govt in Karnataka for 15 minutes by looking at a paper. Sincerely Siddaramaiah," Siddaramaiah Tweeted.

6) Modi addresses Karnataka Kisan Morcha Karyakartas: Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday addressed the Kisan Morcha Karyakartas of the BJP through the Narendra Modi App. Modi said that farmers in Karnataka had not received the benefits of the Fasal Bima Yojna due to the apathy of the Congress government in the state, adding that there was a need for a sensitive state government that would work for the development of farmers.

Further, the prime minister said that his government had increased the minimum support price (MSP) for notified crops to at least 1.5 times the production cost. Modi also said that 10 million (1 crore) farmers had been provided with soil health cards in Karnataka.

The prime minister said the BJP had selected a farmers' leader in B S Yeddyurappa as its chief ministerial candidate to work with a renewed vigour in the Centre's efforts to double farmers' income.

Modi also said that around 35 million (3.5 crore) farmers had been covered under the PM Fasal Bima Yojana. Of them, 1.4 million (14 lakh) farmers belonged to Karnataka. He added that 400,000 hectares of land in Karnataka had already been brought under micro-irrigation.

7) Congress asks Modi if he can speak for 15 seconds without lying or misrepresenting facts:  Hitting back at Modi after he lashed out at Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Karnataka, Congress Spokesperson Sushmita Dev said Modi's remarks today proved that he had no answers to the issues raised by her party and demanded that he speak with integrity for even 15 seconds without lying or misrepresenting facts.

"Today, it has been proved beyond doubt that the Prime Minister has no answer on Nirav Modi, or on Jay Shah He has no answers on Rafale or on Piyush Goyal's corruption which is there beyond doubt in the public domain," she told reporters.ALSO

READ: BJP's last-mile push to maximise returns from central Karnataka

8) Siddaramaiah hits back at Modi for his '2+1 formula' jibe: Hitting back at the Prime Minister for his "2+1 formula" jibe at him, Siddaramaiah said Modi's formula to win the assembly election in the state is "2 Reddys + 1 Yeddy".

'Yeddy' is a reference to BJP's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa.

9) Modi showers praise on JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda: In remarks that raised eyebrows in political circles, PM Modi showered praise on former Prime Minister H D Deva Gowda at an election rally here in poll-bound Karnataka. 

He also accused Rahul Gandhi of "insulting" the veteran politician.

"Your life (as Congress chief) has just begun. Deve Gowda is among the tallest leaders of the country. You are insulting him," Modi said.

Speaking about the respect he has for the former prime minister, Modi referred to Deve Gowda as "the son of this land, and a farmer's son".

"Whenever he comes to meet me in Delhi, I make it a point to receive him at the entrance of my home...open the door of the car for him. I also see him off up to his car," he said.

10) Modi urges people in Karnataka to disband Congress: "I urge people of Karnataka to fulfil Mahatma Gandhiji's wish of disbanding the Congress party. You should grab this (May 12 state elections) opportunity," Modi said in Belagavi district's Chikodi town on Tuesday. He said the "power hungry" Congress is on the backfoot in the state and is spreading lies to win the elections.

"Congress cannot live without power. The Congress fears that they will lose in elections and that is why they are spreading lies, dividing people on the grounds of caste and creating the atmosphere of fear," Modi said.