Politics needs to be purified from 'sins' of Congress, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed BJP leaders and candidates in Karnataka through the Namo app and laid down a three-point strategy for the poll-bound south Indian state.

Modi said that the BJP’s agenda for Karnataka’s development would be: “Development, fast-paced development, and all round development.”

Kicking off his election campaign in Karnataka, Modi attacked the Congress and said India’s politics was needed to be “purified” as it was associated with the “misdeeds and sins” of the Congress.

“Indian mainstream politics is associated with the misdeeds and sins of Congress. The country’s politics cannot be purified unless the country is free from the ‘Congressi’ culture,” Modi said.

Attacking the Congress over the issue of Lingayats, Modi said that some political parties kept on giving “lollipop” to some communities for political gains and forgot them after the elections.

“Those who fought on issue of religion, caste, kept on giving lollipop to specific castes and kept on changing this equation. They used them for election and forgot,” Modi told his party candidates, MPS, office bearers, and workers in Karnataka.

Modi’s scathing attack on Congress came ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s two-day visit to the poll bound state on Thursday.

Also Read | Karnataka polls: PM Modi trying to take “jail birds” into Vidhan Sabha, says Rahul Gandhi

The Congress president would visit Uttara Kannada district in the northwestern part of Karnataka and hold several public gatherings in Ankola, Kumta, Honnavar, and Bhatkal. He would also launch the election manifesto of the Congress party on Friday.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Gandhi scion also slammed Modi for trying to take “jail birds” – BS Yeddyurappa and “Bellary Gang” (Reddy brothers) – into Karnataka Vidhan Sabha.

Gandhi said that Yeddyurappa and Reddy Brothers looted Karnataka when they were in power but brought to justice by Siddaramaiah-led Congress government.

“When in power, Yeddyurappa and Reddy Brothers looted Karnataka. Our Govt. brought them to justice. Now Mr Modi is trying to take 8 of them from jail, into the Vidhan Sabha,” Gandhi tweeted.

“This is an insult to every honest citizen, to Karnataka and to the spirit of Basavanna,” he added.