Battle lines have been drawn in Karnataka ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections scheduled on May 12. As the election was approaching the southern state, both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) shifted their political gears and started campaigning more aggressively.
While Rahul Gandhi is spearheading the Congress’ campaign in Karnataka, the BJP has once again gone with its tried and tested “Narendra Modi†formula.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Modi will launch the third leg of BJP’s campaigning and address three rallies in Kalaburagi, Ballari and Bengaluru. Rahul will lead the Congress’ Jana Ashirwada Yatra and hold “corner meetings†in Karnataka’s Bidar district.
HIGHLIGHTS
#02:35 PM: The unbecoming of a PM:Â PM Modi has nothing to say about Karnataka and has no plans for the people of the state. This is why he resorts to personal attacks against me. His jibes are unbecoming of a PM.
#02:30 PM: Reddy's are the new "gabbar": Rahul tooka jibe at Modi and said, "PM Modi plans to unleash his "Gabbar Singh gang" (Reddy bros) upon Karnataka."
#02: 25 PM: Silence on Jay Shah: The Gandhi scion questioned Modi's silence on the Nirav Modi scam and Amit Shah's son Jay Shah's "dubious deals". He said, "PM Modi neither speaks of the Chhota Modi scam nor does he speak of Jay Shah's dubious deals. He answers no questions on the scams perpetrated by his friends."
#02:20 PM: The "Chhota Modi" jibe: The Congress president took a jibe at PM Modi voer demonetisation and said, "while the poor people of the country stood in queues and went through troubles post demonetisation, the likes of #ChhotaModi looted people's money and escaped."
# 02:15 PM: Desperate PM resorts to personal attacks: Rahul said, "PM Modi resorts to personal attacks and character assassination when he's desperate. I never resort to personal attacks. Instead, I ask questions. Questions PM Modi doesn't answer."
# 02:10 PM: BJP-RSSÂ polarising people: "The BJP-RSS duo doesn't care about Karnataka's aspirations, it only cares about polarising people to win elections," says Congress president.
# 02:05 PM: Karnataka polls, a battle of ideologies: "This election is a contest between two ideologies. On one hand, there's Congress with its ideology of unity, compassion & an inclusive Karnataka while on the other, we have BJP-RSS with its ideology of hatred & division," says Rahul gandhi
# 02:00 PM: Now, its Rahul Gandhi's turn.
# 01:05 PM: Congress made a 'sin':Â Congress sat over Swaminathan Commission recommendation to increase MSP for farmers. It's not expected of them to accept this sin but they can at least keep quiet, when our government has approved its implementation.
# 01:00 PM: Modi again invokes nationalism:Â Congress has no respect for the sacrifices of our soldiers. When our soldiers did surgical strikes, the shameless Congress party questioned the strikes. All they kept asking for proof.
# 12:55 PM: Elect BJP to change people's lives:Â This election is not only for changing the Congress govt. but for changing the fate of youth, women and farmers of Karnataka. When you go out to vote on 12 May, keep the better future of Karnataka in mind and vote for BJP.
# 12:50 PM:Â Congress ruined Karnataka in last five years: Launching a blistering attack on Congress, PM Modi said, "We have seen the state being ruined for five years and we will no longer allow the state to be ruined further. People are seeing that in all corners of India the Congress is being rejected."
# 12:45 PM: PM Narendra Modi speaking at a rally in Kalaburagi:Â Watch LIVE
# 10:35 AM: Siddaramaiah holds no punches back, tweets PM Modi’s "insensitivity" towards farmers: 1. I asked for farm loan waiver. PM refused; 2. I asked for intervention to solve Mahadayi issue. PM refused. 3. I asked for an increase in Disaster Relief Fund as Karnataka gets 1750 Crore and Maharashtra gets 8000 Crore. No reply from PM
# 10:30 AM: PM Modi accuses Congress of ignoring Karnartaka's agriculture sector, Siddaramaiah hits back: Reacting to Modi's accusations, the Karnataka CM tweeted, "Really! This is rich coming from the you Mr. Prime Minister. I have spoken a lot about what we have done for the farmers. But I will repeat it in this thread. I will also talk about your insensitivity to farmers."
1. We are the only state that gives farm loans at zero % interest rate
2. We have waived Rs 8165 Cr. farm loans taken from cooperative societies. 22.50 lakh farmers benefited
3. We spend Rs 8000 Cr every year to give free assured power (7Hrs) to farmers
4. We have launched Direct Income Support program for 70 lakh dryland farmers. They get Rs 5000 to 10000 in their Bank account for growing crops
5. We have financed construction of two lakh farm ponds.
6. We have allocated 50,000 Cr in 5 years & spent 45,000 crores on irrigation.
7. We have given a bonus over MSP & procured lakhs of tons of Tur when prices fell
8. We have contributed 50% to the Fasal Beema Yojana & are the only state to have an IT system for direct cash transfer of insurance payment
9. We pioneered eMandi system & it is a model for GoI.
10. We do free (cashless) surgeries for farmers who are cooperative members.
11. We have set up Agri Machinery Hiring centres throughout the state.
12. We have built an excellent network of roads in the state. 13. We have added 5000 MW of power capacity in 5 years.
#09: 45 AM: Rahul Gandhi blows the bugle for today Karnataka 'battle', tweets PM Modi's report card.Â
#09:35 AM: Schedule of Rahul Gandhi in Karnataka today: Corner meetings in Bidar
#09:30 AM: PM Modi's schedule for today:Â Rallies, rallies and more rallies
#09:00 AM: Hello and welcome to the live updates of Karnataka Assembly Election 2018. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday will take on each other in a fierce political battle. While Modi was pushing BJP’s attempt to add another state in its kitty, Rahul was also sweating buckets to retain power in the only big state, his party Congress was left with.
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