Priyanka chides PM for 'crying' over his insults

Ahead of polling, the Congress is going all out in its campaigning to defeat the ruling BJP in the May 10 election

All India Congress Committee general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra chided Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ‘crying’ over his insults in public, rather than listening to people's problems.

Addressing a public rally in favour of Navalgund Congress candidate N H Konareddy here on Saturday, Priyanka said BJP never understands that elections are meant to address the concerns of people and assure them on how they will reduce inflation, provide jobs to youth and others. Instead, PM speaks about the political bickerings, she said.

“I have seen several prime ministers from Indira Gandhi to Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh. Modi happens to be the only prime minister, who, while neglecting the grievances of the public, shares only his issues,” she said.

Firing from the shoulders of former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, Priyanka said the prime minister sides with those involved in 40 per cent commission and corruption, while neglecting honest leaders in his party.

Also Read | I have shut all sources of corruption for Congress, says PM in poll-bound Karnataka

“Modi dials BJP ministers who were involved in corruption and collected 40% commission. However, he (Modi) unceremoniously removed Lingayat leader Jagadish Shettar from the party. This is not just an insult to the voters of Karnataka, but also to the Lingayat community,” she said.

The Congress leader said BJP, in its three-and-half years of governance, has broken all records of corruption as they have fixed a ‘price’ for every post. She claimed that the BJP government has ‘looted’ nearly Rs 1.5 lakh crore of Karnataka.

“Farmers had to pledge their cattle to pay bribe to officials,” she said and that in spite of seizing Rs eight crore from a party MLA’s son, the BJP did not act against him.

She urged the voters not to listen to anyone and cast their votes based on the daily challenges they are facing like inflation, hike in LPG cylinder prices, corruption and joblessness.

While repeating the five assurances that Congress has announced in the run-up to the elections, Priyanka also assured of implementing the Mahadayi project.

Before attending the public meeting, Priyanka visited the house of Balanagamma (54), a tea vendor in Navalgund village.

In her 30-minute interaction, the leader asked Balanagamma about the challenges she was facing in bringing up her seven children.

Priyanka even prepared a black tea for herself in the house and shared pictures of her children with Balanagamma’s family.