HOSAPETE: Sharpen the attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to blunt his influence among voters and effectively market the Siddaramaiah government's achievement — this seems to be the Congress's strategy to retain power in the state by stopping the Modi-Shah juggernaut.
The grand old party's strategy was clearly evident on the first day of the four-day campaign by Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday. All leaders who spoke at the rally strictly adhered to these two points. Even Rahul did the same while he tore into Modi's claims of development.
Pleading with the people not to get swayed by the false promises of BJP leaders, he tried hard to project the Modi government as anti-people. With his "rear view mirror sarkar" barb, Rahul certainly tried to connect with the mass.
Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader in Lok Sabha, openly admitted how much winning Karnataka is important for the party to set the direction for the next parliamentary election. Since the party is facing onslaught of the BJP election machine, Kharge tried to put up a strong defence by highlighting how the Modi government failed in keeping its promises. The party has also entrusted him with the task of re-energising its Dalit cardre and further strengthen its Dalit vote bank.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made an attempt to woo the public by listing out achievement of his government. His blistering attack on Modi drew applause and he went on to reiterate that the BJP government at the Centre has failed on every count.
KPCC president G Parameshwara invoked state's pride while countering Modi's allegations against the Karnataka government on crime and corruption. Modi insulted people of Karnataka, he said.
So, the party has carefully crafted the plan to effectively counter every narrative of the BJP against the Congress government in the state and win back Karnataka.
Since victory in Karnataka is likely to set the trend for the upcoming elections in other BJP-ruled states which are facing severe anti-incumbency, Congress does not want to miss the chance.
Siddaramaiah calls Hegde ‘nalayak’
Ballari: The election campaign of Rahul Gandhi at Hosapete turned into a BJP bashing event with the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah calling Union Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde a ‘nalayak’ (useless). Siddaramaiah began with lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remark that the state is run by ten per cent government and his reference to the collapsed law and order system in Karnataka. “It was an irresponsible statement made in the presence of people like B S Yedyurappa, Katta Subramanya Naidu and Krushniah Shetty,” he said.
TheCM said that the party does not discriminate on the basis of class and castes. “The BJP is a communal party with no humanity. Ananth Kumar is a nalayak. He is unfit to be even a gram panchayat member. He speaks of changing the constitution. Has this not come to the knowledge of Narendra Modi ?,” he asked. Stating that there is no anti-incumbency in the state, he said with Anand Singh and Nagendra joining the party, Congress has emerged stronger in Ballari district.
He expressed confidence to winning all the nine assembly seats in the district. Earlier, during his speech, Siddaramaiah made a faux pas when he said that the Ballari district has seven Lok Sabha seats and Congress will win all of them. A Congress leader who stood behind him corrected him immediately.
Gold-plated Valmiki’s statue and silver mace gifted to Rahul
Kudalgi MLA Nagendra gifted a half kilogram gold-plated statue of sage Valmiki to Rahul Gandhi. The statue is estimated to be worth Rs 64 lakh. Another new member of the party Anand Singh gifted Rahul a silver mace. The duo were once close confidants of Reddy brothers.
Rafale deal to help Modi’s friends:Rahul
Koppal: Unlike the Modi-led BJP government at the Centre, there will be no one-man show either in the state or at the Centre, said AICC president Rahul Gandhi in Koppal on Saturday. He attacked Modi government for reviving on Rafale warfare deal with France. He alleged that the deal was revived to help Modi’s friends.