PM Modi makes a strong pitch for return of BJP govt at major rally in poll-bound Karnataka

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the people of Karnataka have already made up their mind to bring back the double-engine government in the state and that the BJP's victory in the mayoral election in Kalaburagi, home district of Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, was just the beginning of the saffron party's victory campaign.

The Prime Minister was speaking at the Vijay Sankalpa Mahasangam convention organised by the state BJP on Harihar road on the outskirts of the city.

"Hindustan is drawing the attention of several countries in the world including America, Germany, France, China, Japan, Indonesia, Africa not because of Modi but because of your vote in the Lok Sabha polls. Now, the entire country is looking at Karnataka, so you have to bring the BJP government with an absolute majority in Karnataka so that I can serve you better."

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Taking a dig at the Congress party's 'guarantee card', he said, the people of Himachal Pradesh are asking the Congress-led government to fulfill promises made before the government. Even after three months, it has not fulfilled any promise made, including the self-employment scheme. So we can't trust the Congress party."

"The party is using Karnataka as the ATM of its leaders. So don't give them a chance to loot the state," he advised.

The Congress is dreaming of digging Modi's grave, he added. "But Karnataka, your lotus will bloom," he said.

"I am confident that BJP voters will strive to ensure that the party candidates win each booth during the Assembly polls to bring the BJP government with an absolute majority in Karnataka."

Without mentioning the name of Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah, the Prime Minister said he saw a video on social media of the Congress leader slapping a party worker. "This is the culture of Congress. But in BJP no one is superior or inferior. For me, each worker is my partner, best friend, and my brother. The party has transformed the politics of perception to the politics of performance."

Commenting on Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Yojana, Modi said that when the scheme was implemented in 2019, the JD(S)-Congress coalition government was in power in Karnataka. The coalition government, Modi alleged, did not extend the scheme to all farmers and only one lakh farmers benefited from it. This number rose to 300 crore under the BJP, Modi asserted, attributing the extended coverage to the 'double engine' BJP government in the state.