BELAGAVI: Calling Belagavi the ‘head’ of Karnataka due its geographical location, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the district will prove lucky for the BJP as the party has won elections in two north-eastern states on the day when the BJP’s Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra has flagged off at Nandagad village in Khanapur taluk of the district on Thursday.
He also said that the day is not far when Karnataka will become the most developed state of south India and the credit for it will go to the BJP government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He particularly mentioned the hi-tech airport in Shivamogga which was recently inaugurated by PM Modi. “BJP is not only developing air connectivity but also road connectivity”, he added.
Hitting out at the Congress, he said what that party could not do for decades, the BJP government did within nine years. “The BJP government has built 3.5 lakh km long village roads and 80,000 km National Highway”, he said.
Rajnath recalled the sacrifices of freedom fighters like Rani Chennamma and Sangolli Rayanna who were from Karnataka. These are great personalities known for their valour not only in India but across the globe, he said, adding, stories of Sangolli Rayanna, who was the military chief of Rani Chennamma, inspire crores of Indians. He said he considers himself lucky to be able to pray and seek blessings at the memorial of Rayanna at Nandagad.
Rajnath said that Modi wants the development of Karnataka, one example of which is Tumakuru, where a Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) unit has been set up which will generate employment.