Claiming that the Congress and the JD(S) have entered into a "secret" pact for the Karnataka Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today H D Deve Gowda's party was "protecting" the Congress.
Addressing an election rally here, Modi alleged that the Congress, for years, spoke about poverty eradication only to garner votes, while neglecting farmers and the poor.
"Poll surveys, political pundits...everyone is saying the JD(S) cannot defeat Congress. They cannot form government. If anyone can change the government in Karnataka, it is the BJP.
"If anyone is protecting the Congress, it is the JD(S)... Congress and JD(S) have a secret understanding...an understanding behind the curtains," Modi, who lavished praise on JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda only a few days ago before training his guns on him, said.
The Congress, Modi demanded, make it clear if it had a secret understanding with JD(S) or not. He said it was with the support of Deve Gowda's party that the Congress had its mayor in Bengaluru.
"Why are you hiding this? Congress should have the courage to speak out the truth to people."