Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chose Channapatna, the Janata Dal (Secular) bastion where party leader H.D. Kumaraswamy is contesting, to launch a tirade against the regional outfit and described it as the B-team of the Congress.
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Addressing a poll convention at Channapatna of Ramanagara district, Mr. Modi alleged, “Every vote cast for the JD(S) is a vote for the Congress and will bring instability. Though they are seen as different, their hearts remain together and increase corruption. In Delhi, they are together. These unstable governments are formed to loot (people) and not for development. The JD(S) and the Congress are the reason for instability in Karnataka”.
“Karnataka is a kind of ATM for the JD(S) and the Congress. However, the BJP sees Karnataka as an important growth engine for the country. This election is very special and will decide the State’s development for the next 25 years. This election is about making Karnataka the number one State, and only the BJP can do it,” he claimed.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally near Mattikere-Shettihalli in Channapatna taluk in Ramanagara district on Sunday. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR
While Mr. Modi had avoided an attack on the JD(S) at his earlier rally in Mandya by focusing his attention on the Congress, on Sunday he chose to take on the regional outfit at Channapatna where the BJP candidate, former Minister C.P. Yogeshwar, is taking on Mr. Kumaraswamy.
The JD(S) has turned Ramanagara district into its bastion as in 2018, the party won three of the four seats in this Vokkaliga dominated district in Old Mysuru region.
Ridiculing the JD(S), Mr. Modi reminded the crowd of the regional party’s statement where it had said that with 15 to 20 seats, the party would become kingmakers. “It will create instability and only one family will benefit, but lakhs of families in the State will suffer. When the JD(S) and the Congress form governments, only some special families get benefits. However, the BJP treats every family in India and Karnataka as its own family,” he said.
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Asking voters to be wary of the two Opposition parties, he said that the Congress’ policy was to scrap pro-people programmes started by the BJP.
“The Congress is like a reverse gear for all major announcements. The JD(S) is like a B-team that will agree to what the Congress does. Karnataka cannot go in reverse direction; people should be careful about them,” the PM said.
Incidentally, the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had termed the JD(S) as the B-team of the BJP in the 2018 elections.
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‘Fake guarantees’
Remarking that “deceit” is another name for the Congress, the Prime Minister said that every guarantee of the party was a bundle of lies. “The Congress has a track record of deceiving farmers. Before the 2008 elections, it announced the loan waiver scheme. While the fake scheme helped those who were with the Congress, crores of farmers did not benefit as doors of the banks remained closed to them. This is the Congress’ track record”.
“In Himachal Pradesh, the Congress had announced ₹1,500 incentive for women before the election and this was to be implemented in the first Cabinet meeting. However, during that meeting, the diesel price was increased. Till today, women are waiting for that ₹1,500.”
The Prime Minister later addressed a convention in Belur of Hassan district, which is as strong bastion of the JD(S), and continued the tirade against the regional outfit.
Addressing a rally near Ibbeedu near Belur in Hassan district on Sunday, Mr. Modi said the JD(S) had been one family’s private limited party.