Kumaraswamy is Cong's punching bag: PM Modi at Hubballi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took on the ruling coalition in Karnataka on Sunday, terming it a government in duress that has failed on all fronts.

Speaking at a well-attended rally at the KLE Medical College Grounds in Hubballi, Modi wondered "who was in charge of the state".

“The chief minister has become a punching bag in the alliance and is being blamed for everything. So much so that he weeps openly in public,” Modi said, without naming H D Kumaraswamy.

The prime minister said that the coalition government had become the height of “weak model” of governance and administration.

“They want to impose this weak model on the country. Do you want that to happen?” Modi said, referring to the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) and threw the question to the crowd. The crowd responded with a resounding "no".

“They are not interested in youth or farmers. Everyone wants to save their chair. They even go to the extent of assaulting each other for the sake of power,” Modi said, referring to Congress MLA J N Ganesh's assault on colleague Anand Singh at a resort recently.

The prime minister said the voters of Karnataka can decide whether the country needs clarity or confusion, positivity or negativity or “honesty or dishonesty”.

The rally marked the launch of the BJP’s first election campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka.

Modi also took potshots at Robert Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, without naming him.

“There were people whose income was not questioned. But today, they are answering questions from investigating agencies. Those who have taken kickbacks will not be spared. Their turn will come one by one. These people did not even spare farmers, who they looted. Things had to change,” Modi said.

The prime minister peppered his speech with the words ‘pradhan sevak’, referring to himself. Modi listed out the achievements of the NDA government during the last five years, comparing it with that of the UPA regime.