Amit Shah sees pro-BJP 'tsunami' in Karnataka

It was literally a saffron splash in Shivamogga city on Monday evening with the BJP led by its national president Amit Shah taking out a massive roadshow as part of its Assembly election campaign.

Almost all the main thoroughfares of the city were draped in saffron flags, buntings and huge cut outs of party leaders, in a bid to flaunt the BJP's strength in Shivamogga, the home district of party's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa.

A sea of humanity had congregated along the route to witness the roadshow that took off from Ramana Setty Ganapathy temple where Shah offered puja. Chants of 'Modi...Modi' rented the air as the cavalcade of party leaders, including Shah, passed through Gandhi Bazar and Bengaluru-Honnavar street.

Shah, later garlanded the statue of Shivappa Nayaka, the founder king of Shivamogga. Almost all senior leaders of the party, including Yeddyurappa, K S Eshwarappa and Ananth Kumar, accompanied Shah during the roadshow.

'It's tsunami, not just wave'

Addressing a corner meeting, Shah claimed that the party will continue its Vijay Yatra (victory march) in Karnataka. "We have received overwhelming response from people. Initially, I thought it is a wave (in favour of (BJP), but it has turned out to be a tsunami in Karnataka," he stated.

AICC president Rahul Gandhi has been claiming that the Siddaramaiah government will retain power in the coming polls. The Congress leader has to carefully study the electoral history since 2014. The BJP has won series of Assembly polls. And the victory march will continue in Karnataka also, he added.

He hit out at the state government on the issue of law and order and held the ruling Congress responsible for killing of BJP and RSS workers in the state.

He also took on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for claiming that his government is number one. "Law and order has completely collapsed. There is no safety for women. Infrastructure is in tatters...Then in what area, the government is number one?" he asked. "Corruption," the crowd replied.