JOIN USModi bowled-over by crowd turnout
The BJP on Sunday managed to display a huge show of strength at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pre-election rally at Palace Grounds. A sea of humanity started arriving at the venue since early morning. Thousands were ferried from different districts by the BJP in buses. Modi himself was impressed by the turnout. "I have come to Karnataka several times, but have never seen something like this" he said waving at the crowd. "This is a saffron wave that will wash the state government away", he said. The BJP had deployed 4,000 volunteers to manage the crowd. A 13,000-strong police force was deployed to ensure security and maintain law and order during Modi's visit.
PM invokes Kannada pride
Modi began and ended his speech in Kannada. At election rallies, Modi usually greets the crowd in Kannada. But on Sunday, Modi sprung a surprise with an extended greeting in Kannada. "This is birth place of great people like Basavanna, Kempegowda, Kittur Rani Channamma, Sangolli Rayanna, Sir M Visvesvaraya", he said to a huge applause from the crowd. "BJP gellisi", he said. He concluded his speech by thanking the people in Kannada and requesting to vote for BJP and ensure the lotus blooms in the state. Political circles read Modi's move as a counter to the Congress pitch to evoke the Kannada pride on the primacy for Kannada and state flag issues. Modi also congratulated the Indian team winning the under 19 cricket world "coached by Kannadiga Rahul Dravid."
SMK gets prominence
Former chief minister S M Krishna made an appearance at the Modi rally and was given a front row seat on the dais. Krishna has not been much visible at BJP forums despite having joined the party nearly a year ago. Krishna did not address the crowd and BJP general secretary Aravind Limbavali explained that the senior leader was unwell and suffered from a bad throat. Modi was seen warmly greeting Krishna as soon as he arrived and also greeted him when he left the venue.
Big applause for Hegde, Shobha
As many as 22 BJP leaders were given seats on the dais. The seating arrangement had been made in two rows. The biggest applause from the crowd was for Modi followed by B S Yeddyurappa. Modi made a point to greet each of the 22 leaders before commencing his speech. The loudest applause from the crowd this time, when Modi read out the names, was for Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde and leaders Shobha Karandlaje and C T Ravi - in that order.
Roads turn parking lots
Roads in and around Palace Grounds, the venue for the rally, virtually turned into parking lots for sometime with traffic coming to a total standstill. Having waited patiently and with no traffic movement seen, people started walking to the venue.
'Modi, Yeddyurappa pakodas'
Police whisked away a group of youths holding a 'pakoda protest' to passers-by in a dig at Modi's remarks over job creation. The youths appeared near the Mehkri Circle, a few metres away from Palace grounds in protest against Modi recent remarks linking pakoda selling and job creation. They sold Modi pakodas, Amit Shah pakoda and Yeddyurappa pakodas.