Karnataka Election: Rahul Gandhi addressed a press conference on the last day of campaigning.
Campaigning for the Karnataka assembly elections 2018 is set to reach a feverish pitch today with hectic activities on the ground in the state by leaders of all the political parties. Top BJP leaders, union ministers, and two chief ministers will hold 52 road shows across 150 constituencies Karnataka today. Each of these rallies could last for 1.5 to 2 hours on an average, according to the party's campaign day plan.
BJP chief Amit Shah is holding a road show along with the party's chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa in Badami, one of the two seats from where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is contesting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, backward classes and the 'slum morcha' workers of the BJP via the NaMo app this morning. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is in Karnataka for the last leg of campaigning, held a press conference along with Mr Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru, attacking the BJP's Dalit outreach attempt.
Here are the LIVE updates from the Karnataka assembly election 2018 campaign:
"Jatiwaad, vanshwaad should end and development should now begin in the state": Amit Shah
Karnataka's economy "will improve," said Amit Shah.
"We will win in more than 130 seats in the state," he added.
"Call It Overconfidence," Says Amit Shah On Being Confident Of BJP Win In Karnataka
"Looking at the current state of the state with Siddaramiah as the chief minister, the BJP will win," he said.
"Yeddyurappa Will Become Chief Minister If We Win": Amit Shah
"The BJP will the polls with a majority. Yedyurappa will become the chief minister if we win," he said.
"BJP will also provide smartphones to girls from economically weaker sections and also provide laptops to college students," Amit Shah said.
"Fake ID Case Shows How Desperately Congress Wants To Win," Says Amit Shah
Commenting on the fake ID case, Amit Shah said that he wanted to "request those people (whose fake IDs were made) to not fall into the Congress' trap," he said.
"More than 3500 farmers have been forced to commit suicide in the state in the last 5 years," Amit Shah said.
"Karnataka Government Is Like A Traffic Jam In Bengaluru," Says Amit Shah
"A 12-year-old child is raped, when the father goes to register a complaint, he is shown the door. The Siddaramaiah government is a failure," Mr Shah said.
"Siddaramaiah thinks he is going to win, but he will lose," he added, saying that the BJP will form the government in Karnataka.
"PM, BJP Have Reached Out To The People": Amit Shah
In a press conference, BJP chief Amit Shah said that the BJP held 400 roadshows in Karnataka. "More than 35 leaders have devoted their time for campaigning," he said.
"The BJP has shown a lot of compassion towards the farmers of Karnataka, over 3500 farmers committed suicide in the state in five years. Our party has tried to address the issue," Amit Shah said.
Kannada actress Bhavana Ramanna joins the BJP. She was earlier with the Congress.
Read: On Last Day Of Campaign, BJP Deploys 50 Senior Leaders In KarnatakaCampaigning in Karnataka is expected to end on a high note today as both BJP and the Congress rally their forces for one final push. As a fitting end to its aggressive campaign, the BJP has gathered at least 50 of its senior leaders for rallies and roadshows across the state. The list includes a battery of Union ministers and party chief Amit Shah. The Prime Minister started the packed day with an address to party workers on his Narendra Modi App. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi addressed the media in Bengaluru.
Amit Shah, accompanied by BS Yeddyurappa, is waving at the crowd from a open truck. Hundreds of people are surrounding Amit Shah's vehicle.
BJP chief Amit Shah has begun his roadshow in Badami.
Opinion polls have predicted that neither the Congress, nor the BJP will get majority in the state and former Prime Minister HD Devegowda's Janata Dal (Secular) will be the kingmaker.
Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Ananth Kumar, Prakash Javadekar, Piyush Goyal, DV Sadananda Gowda, Anurag Thakur, Krishnapal Gujjar and Santosh Gangwar are in Karnataka. They are among the senior leaders scheduled to address around 50 mega road shows across the state.
What else did Rahul Gandhi say in the press conference? Read these pointers:
- The BJP is in panic mode. They have realised that the Congress is doing things differently. They have seen it in Gujarat.
- This is a fight between the spirit of Karnataka and RSS.
- We are depending on our leadership in Karnataka.
- The RSS is attacking your language, culture, food. Trying to decimate your way of life. We will fight them out.
- PM Modi wants to distract.
- He makes personal attacks to distract from the issues.
- 2 crore youngsters promised jobs by the PM are standing in queues. Congress gave jobs to youth in Karnataka.
- We will not let PM get angry or digress.
Rahul Gandhi to NDTV's Maya Sharma
Narendra Modi has anger inside him. For everybody. He sees a threat in me. So he is angry with me. Yes, my mother is an Italian. But she has spent a larger part of her life in India. She has suffered for this country.
"PM modi likes to distract people. He has nothing to say to the people of Karnataka on their future. So he just distracts them," Rahul Gandhi says in Bengaluru.
Rahul Gandhi on Dalit outreach:
- Narendra Modi doesn't say anything when Dalits are being killed across the country.
- Congress is raising Dalit issues, that's our job. When Rohith Vemula is killed, PM doesn't say a word.
- Karnataka government gives half the money the centre gives for Dalits
Siddaramaiah says:
- We are fighting this election on development issues
- Under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, we have campaigned. Most importantly, in our programme, we have spoken of what we have done. And the failures of the 4 years of the Narendra Modi government
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah starts speaking.
"Have learnt tremendous amount from the people and their spirit in the last few months in Karnataka," says Rahul Gandhi.
"There is a lack of seriousness. The BJP drafted their manifesto in a closed room and copy pasted half of ours. We are confident of winning the Karnataka elections," he said.
Rahul Gandhi begins addressing the media.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi's press conference is facing a delay. It has been pushed to 10:30 am.
PM Narendra Modi to SC/ST/OBC and Slum Morcha workers of the BJP:
- BJP has the most number of MPs in parliament that belong to SC/ST, OBC and minority
- I appeal you to visit homes of SC/ST, OBC and minorities and assure them that BJP will work for their welfare
- We need to work tirelessly for the welfare of deprived and women
- Taking inspiration from all the great saints, today we are trying to fulfill Baba Saheb's dream of powerful and prosperous nation
- Congress never respected Baba Saheb Ambedkar. Until the Congress party was in power, Baba Saheb was not given Bharat Ratna
- Our govt has made SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act more stringent and increased the offences listed in the Act from 22 to 47
- Stand up and Mudra Yojanas are helping to make SC/ST/OBC and women financially empowered
PM Narendra Modi:
- Your hard work is appreciated
- Today, the youth is joining BJP
- I want to thank all my morcha workers
- BJP takes SC/ST and minorities forward
- I want to appeal that you should go to SC/ST and minority houses and tell about our schemes
PM Narendra Modi addresses SC/ST/OBC and Slum Morcha workers.
Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018:
Here is a quick round up of the top BJP leaders holding road shows today
- Amit Shah - Badami
- Prakash Javadekar - Shantinagar, CV Raman Nagar
- Nirmala Sitharaman - Shantinagar, CV Raman Nagar
- Meenakshi Lekhi - Chamarajpet, Gandhinagar, Padmanabhanagar
- Shobha Karandlanje - Kalasa, Kapu, Udupi
- Ananth Kumar - BTM Layout, Padmanabhanagar, Basavanagudi, Govindrajnagar, Vijayanagar
- Sadananada Gowda - Hebbal, Shantinagar, Pulakeshinagar,Govindrajnagar
- Anurag Thakur - Rajajinagar