BENGALURU/ /BADAMI/CHAMUNDESHWAR: The final day of campaigning for Karnataka assembly election on Thursday saw sparks flying with parties pulling out all stops to woo voters one last time. While a roadshow at Badami followed by a press meet by Amit Shah was how the BJP wrapped its campaign, the Congress let its president Rahul Gandhi talk to the press before Chief Minister Siddaramaiah finished off the party campaign with a festive roadshow in Chamundeshwari constituency. The JD(S) displayed its strength with a roadshow in Bengaluru’s Chamarajpet — a seat considered the bastion of Zameer Ahmed Khan, who is contesting on a Congress ticket after ditching the JD(S).
War of words between the main rivals, BJP and Congress, continued with Rahul calling the election “a fight to protect the spirit of Karnataka.” Shah led a roadshow amid a sea of saffron at Badami — one of the two constituencies where Congress has fielded Siddaramaiah. Flanked by BJP’s chief minister candidate B S Yeddyurappa and prominent ST leader and Badami candidate Sriramulu, Shah made a point with the show of strength.
“Karnataka will be our gateway to South India,” Shah proudly proclaimed. “BJP leaders have participated in more than 400 rallies and road shows across the state. I have travelled over 25,000km since last year and we are confident of winning with more than 130 seats,” Shah told reporters in Bengaluru.
While the BJP hoped to send a message across with the high-profile and intensive campaign, Rahul called it a sign of panic. “They are panicked because now they are noticing that the Congress is doing things differently. The Congress showed what it is capable of in Gujarat and now it is showing what it is capable of in Karnataka,” Rahul said during an interaction with the press. Both Rahul and Shah went all out to criticise each other on issues of development, women’s safety, farmers, Kannada pride etc.
“They only celebrated Tipu Jayanthi and wanted to celebrate Bahamani kingdom but never showed the same respect for Kannada writers,” said Shah. Claiming that the BJP did not understand the meaning of Hindu, Rahul said: “The term Hindu is a perspective, it is a viewpoint and it is something that is in the heart.”
After months of multiple political yatras and an unending volley of attacks — political and personal — the curtains are down on campaigning. As the last of their star campaigners prepared to leave Karnataka, parties went all out to make one final appeal to the voters of the state before they cast their votes on May 12.
What they did on last day
BJP PITCH
Total number of star campaigners: 53
Chief Ministers: 3 (Madhya Pradesh, UP and Chhattisgarh)
Union ministers: 22
Amit Shah press conference
CONG SHOW
Rahul Gandhi press conference
Expose on Sriramulu
Roadshow by Siddaramaiah in Chamundeshwari
Roadshow by candidates in each assembly constituency
JD(S) MIGHT
H D Kumaraswamy media interaction
Roadshow in Chickpet