BENGALURU: PM Narendra Modi on Monday gave a much-needed impetus for infrastructure development in Karnataka by launching projects worth over Rs 33,000 crore. Modi’s visit, after a gap of almost one-and-half years, and ahead of a series of elections, is likely to have its own impact on state politics.
With BBMP elections expected in September-October, and the 2023 Assembly polls less than a year away, Modi’s visit is likely to boost the morale of the ruling BJP. It also appears to have helped keep the party’s rank and file united, which is paramount ahead of elections. Bengaluru city has 28 assembly seats, and the development projects launched by Modi are likely to be part of the party’s poll plank. Some party leaders, including Chikkaballapura LS member B N Bache Gowda, whose son Sharath has identified with the Congress, took part in a rally for Modi at Kommaghatta. Housing minister V Somanna, who has allegedly held a round of talks with some Congress leaders, also took an active part.
The rally near Kengeri, which comes under Cooperation Minister S T Somashekar’s Yeshwanthpur assembly constituency, saw an overwhelming response from thousands of BJP workers and staunch supporters of Modi. Slogans hailing the Prime Minister bore shades of an election rally. Ahead of the 2018 assembly polls, Modi had launched the BJP’s campaign at Kommaghatta which turned out to be lucky for the party.
STITCH ME A KURTA, PM REQUESTS TAILOR
MYSURU: PM Modi, interacting with benefi-ciaries of Central schemes on Monday, stunned ever-yone when he asked a woman tailor from Chamrajanagar whether she could stitch him a kurta. When Ambika, a beneficiary of Mudra Yojana and National Rural Mission, who works as a tailor in Basappa Doddi village in Chamarajanagar, told Modi she was doing well, he asked her if she would stitch a kurta for him, and hand it over to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. Yashoda, a farmer from KR Nagar who availed of PM Awas Yojana to build a house said she invited PM Modi to visit her house.