With the BJP government in Karnataka beset with corruption charges, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday repeated the party’s charge that the Congress is looking at the state “as an ATM” to fill its coffers.
Modi also dismissed the “guarantees” the Congress has offered as part of its poll promises, saying it had done so similarly in Himachal.
The PM was speaking at a massive convention held at Davangere to mark the conclusion of the BJP’s four ‘Vijay Sankalp Yatras’ ahead of the polls.
A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a surprise breakfast visit to B S Yediyurappa’s home, the Karnataka veteran leader held the pride of place at the convention, receiving the loudest cheers.
Seeking a full majority for the party in Karnataka – the BJP had stopped short of the half-way mark in 2018 – Modi said this was essential for a developed India. “When no party gets a full majority, isn’t the fate of Karnataka poor? Does Karnataka not need a strong government with full majority?” he said, adding: “Our first job is to bring Karnataka out of ragtag governments and put Karnataka on the path of progress.”
On the “guarantees” by the Congress – it has released four so far, including 200 units of free power for every household, Rs 2,000 per women head of the family, 10 kg rice and unemployment allowance for youth for a period of two years (Rs 3,000 for graduates and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders) – Modi accused the party of misleading the people. “Before every election, the Congress comes out with guarantees. We have seen the example of their guarantees in Himachal Pradesh,” he said, claiming that the Budget presented by the Congress government in the state did not feature these assurances.
