Campaigning heats up for Assembly Polls in Karnataka as top leaders hold mega roadshows and election rallies across the state
Bengaluru, April 29
Campaigning for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections has gained momentum as political leaders are trying their best to woo the voters. Three extensive campaigns took place from the BJP today as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Party President JP Nadda held simultaneous public meetings and roadshows. On the first leg of his two-day tour to the state, the Prime Minister today addressed three public gatherings in Humnabad, Vijayapura and Kudachi areas of the state before conducting a road show in the state capital Bengaluru this evening. Mr. Modi has visited poll-bound Karnataka nine times since February this year.
Addressing a public meeting in Vijayapura, the Prime Minister said, Congress never worked for poor people and ignored the plight of the farmers and women. He said, the people of the state suffered a lot under the Congress government. He added that the BJP government empowered them and changed their life. Mr Modi alleged that Congress could never work for Dalits and backward and solve their problems.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah conducted a rally in Byndoor. He said, BJP scrapped the 4 per cent Muslim reservation, as per the Constitutional provisions. He said Indian Constitution does not permit reservation based on religion. BJP Chief JP Nadda said in a roadshow. He hailed Prime Minister’s Mann ki Baat programme saying that reaching the 100th episode and its popularity among people indicate that people have appreciated the programme and PM Modi has contributed towards social causes.
Earlier, addressing the people at a gathering in the Humnabad area of Karnataka’s Bidar district, the Prime Minister said this election is not just for winning; it is an election to make Karnataka the number one state in the country. He said the double-engine government is essential for the state’s development. Mr Modi said, under the BJP government, foreign investment has increased three-fold in the state. In the recent controversy over Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s remark against him, Mr Modi said to let Congress abuse him. Still, he will keep working for Karnataka’s people, adding that the party has abused him 91 times earlier.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Mandya, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Ballari and senior BJP leader Smriti Irani in Bengaluru today addressed public gatherings.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi and Senior party leader Jairam Ramesh today addressed an election rally and participated in roadshows at different places of the State. The State Congress chief D K Shivakumar said, the results of the coming Assembly elections in Karnataka will be in their favour and herald a beginning and open the door for the party in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Deve Gowda, who has started the 11-day-long campaign for his party candidates today, held public meetings and roadshows in Bengaluru rural and addressed a public gathering in the Ramanagara district.
Meanwhile, the voting process for senior citizens aged 80 and above, and people with disability having opted for home voting through the ballot, has commenced. The Election Commission sources said 80,250 eligible voters above 80 years of age; 19,279 voters with disabilities will vote at home in the upcoming election. This is for the first time that the Election Commission has started the initiative to ensure that no one misses voting due to their inability to visit polling stations. Mysuru Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer KV Rajendra said a total of 135 teams comprising seven members visit the voters’ doorsteps between 9 am and 5 pm to facilitate their voting at their registered addresses. Before the visit, messages are sent to the voters’ relatives o relatives through booth-level officers.