Karnataka elections 2023 | Punish Cong by chanting Jai Bajrangbali while casting vote: PM Modi to voters

As Karnataka races towards the May 10 Assembly polls, almost all parties are neck-and-neck when it comes to the criminal records of the candidates they have fielded. According to a report from election watch organisation Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), the Congress party has 31 per cent, BJP has 30 per cent and JDS has 25 per cent candidates with serious criminal cases against them as per the affidavits filed with the Election Commission of India.

Former Chief Minister and senior JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy said that the charisma of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gone down and his aggressive campaign in Karnataka will not have any impact on the upcoming Assembly elections. Speaking at a press conference, Kumaraswamy stated that after nine years the image of PM Modi has come down. The national leaders from Delhi have come to the state for the election campaign. They should have come when the people of the state were in distress. "They did not come then, they are arriving now," he taunted.

In the wake of the upcoming elections, BJP national president JP Nadda is holding a roadshow at Magadi in Ramanagara. 

Addressing a rally in Belagavi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi advised voters to be careful about the 'shortcut politics' of the Congress and JD(S). "People of Karnataka must be careful about 'shortcut politics' of the Congress and JDS. This 'shortcut governance' gave birth to vote bank politics...", he added.  

The Bajrang Dal has decided to conduct 'Hanuman Chalisa' recital programmes across Karnataka on Thursday, a day after the Congress promised in its election manifesto to ban the outfit. The opposition Congress, in its manifesto for the May 10 Assembly election in Karnataka, said it was committed to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred amongst communities on grounds of caste and religion. 

The BJP asserted that the people of Karnataka will give a befitting reply to the Congress on its promise of action against Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of RSS-affiliated Vishwa Hindu Parishad, while noting that an earlier ban on the organisation was rejected by authorities due to the absence of any evidence. 
 

Opposition only knows 'Gaali politics'. They cannot defeat us so they abuse us. The people of Karnataka reject abuse politics and all the voters will teach them a lesson to Congress for abusing me: PM Narendra Modi at Ankola in Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka

In the last three and a half years, they (BJP) have looted Rs 1.5 lakh crore from Karnataka. With that money, they could have built 100 AIIMS hospitals, 30,000 smart classrooms and houses for 30 lakh poor people. Today they cannot talk about your issues in front of you, so every day they raise some new issue which has nothing to do with your development: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Indi, Vijayapura

The Income Tax (IT) department conducts raids at Karnataka Congress candidate Ashok Kumar Rai’s brother K Subrahmanya Rai’s residence in Mysuru: Sources

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is addressing an election rally in Moodbidri, asserted that his party's motive is to develop Karnataka and make it a manufacturing hub. "But Congress needs one vote because they want to change all the rules and laws passed by BJP. Congress needs a vote because its leader is retiring. Congress and JDS are the same, people in Karnataka need to be aware of them," he said.

Decrying the promise in the Congress election manifesto that Bajrang Dal will be banned if they are voted to power, Karnataka Energy Minister V Sunil Kumar said the move is to appease the Muslims.
In a series of tweets, the minister said Bajrang Dal is not an anti-social organisation and it strives for protection of the Hindu community and gomata (mother cow).

Kumar, who was the state convenor of Bajrang Dal, said the organisation is a team of activists who are ready to undergo any sacrifice for the Hindu cause.

He wondered whether Congress wants to ban Bajrang Dal just because the BJP banned the PFI last year.

"Nowadays, there are various types of thieves in the country, some steal from houses...now, some thieves 'who steal the govts' have also come, they are stealing the democracy...stop them...": Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra takes a jibe at BJP

Hitting out at the Congress party on Tuesday, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that the grand old party just makes promises before the elections but non of them are fulfilled.

Referring to the Babri Masjid demolition, he said that Congress made a resolution of rebuilding the mosque but nothing was done.

“When Babri Masjid was demolished, they made a resolution of rebuilding a mosque there. What became of that? A lot of things are said before elections. You can see what happens post-elections…,” said Owaisi.

"...This is nonsense. We are contesting on only two seats across Karnataka. There is a saying in Urdu - naach na jaane aangan tedha. That is their case," he says when asked about Congress' claim that he has been sent by BJP to divide Muslim votes in the state.

Training his guns at Congress, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai called the Congress' manifesto "cheating" claiming that most of the programs were announced by the incumbent BJP government. Speaking at the election campaign of BJP candidate MR Patil here, the CM said, "He has an emotional bond with this taluk as he spent most of his childhood days here in Kamadolli, Saunshi, and Gudageri.

His father, former CM, SR Bommai had got released nearly 30,000 acres of land to farmers of this taluk, and he had won from the constituency as an independent candidate. The chilli crop is grown more in Kundagol but the Byadgi chilli is the most famous across the world. From next year, arrangements will be made for the purchase of the chilli crop in Kundgol."

The Congress on Tuesday accused Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief J P Nadda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of making "hate speeches" in poll-bound Karnataka and urged the Election Commission to put a ban on campaigning by them in the wake of Supreme Court orders on such speeches.

A delegation of Congress leaders comprising Ajay Maken, Vivek Tankha, Salman Khurshid and Pawan Khera met the Election Commission and gave them a memorandum demanding immediate action against such "hate speeches".

"The home minister says such things which polarise the country and create division in society.
 

In the wake-up of the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka, several top leaders of the ruling BJP will hold multiple rallies in the poll-bound state. Today, PM Modi, Nitin Gadkari and Smriti Irani will hold mega rallies at different locations. 

In the wake-up of the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka, The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday issued an advisory to political parties and their star campaigners. In a statement, the poll body asked them to exercise caution and restraint in their utterances during campaigning in Karnataka and not to vitiate the election atmosphere.

Taking serious note of the "plummeting level of campaign discourse" during electioneering, the poll panel referred to the instances of "inappropriate vocabulary and language" used during the ongoing campaign by persons, "in particular, by those invested with the statutory status of star campaigner".