Media is terrified of Modi, says Dinesh Gundu Rao

Mediapersons are terrified of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Media houses which lambast Rahul Gandhi and Congress, have not been reporting on the corruption by Modi. If the media makes negative reporting on Modi, their offices would be ransacked, alleged KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao.

Speaking during an election campaign of coalition parties, he accused the prime minister to be carrying out the dictatorial rule. Modi is not a ‘chowkidar’ but a ‘bhagidar’ in corruption.

“The wealth he has amassed through corruption is being used to destabilise the coalition government in the state,” said Rao.

Dinesh meanwhile alleged that the economy of the country has seen a low point after demonitisation.

The KPCC president further said that patriotism is not the patent of BJP. Dinesh wanted to know why Modi is mentioning Pakistan in his speeches umpteen number of times. The prime minister should stop emotionalizing people, he said and accused MP Pratap Simha of making provocative speeches.

State Coalition Government Coordination Committee Chairman Siddaramaiah said that if Narendra Modi is elected again, the nation will come under a dictatorial rule. After Modi, Pratap Simha is the biggest liar, he said.

He further said that the MP has not put any efforts into bringing funds from the Central government during the natural calamity in Kodagu. Pratap Simha has not responded to the woes of growers. Siddaramaiah termed BJP manifesto as ‘old wine in a new bottle’.

The former chief minister meanwhile accused BJP of politicising the Ram Mandir issue. “What happened to the money, bricks and iron collected for Ram Mandir all these years?” he asked. He also questioned Modi’s pledge of doubling farmers’ income in 2022.

Siddaramaiah alleged that BJP president Amit Shah’s son is hand in glove in the import of low-quality pepper from Vietnam, which has resulted in the fall in the price of pepper from Rs 900 to Rs 280 per kg.

District Congress Committee President K K Manjunath, Congress leader Brijesh Kalappa, former MLC Arun Manaiah, MLC Veena Achaiah, JD(S) leaders Sanketh Poovaiah and Manoj Bopaiah, former minister Suma Vasanth, leaders M C Nanaiah and P M Ibrahim were present.

JD(S) leaders’ tiff

When Siddaramaiah began delivering his speech, JD(S) leaders had a tiff among themselves. A faction of JD(S) which supports B A Jeevijaya and is unhappy on the appointment of JD(S) district president K M Ganesh, urged Ganesh to alight from the stage while the function was still in progress.

They meanwhile shouted slogans against Ganesh. This angered the opposite faction, which had a verbal spat with the rebel leaders. This further enraged the supporters of Jeevijaya. When they ascended the stage in an attacking posture, leaders C M Ibrahim and Dinesh Gundu Rao pacified them and persuaded them to go back to their places.

Siddaramaiah intervened and said that all JD(S) workers should work towards the victory of coalition candidate Vijayashankar.

However, on the stage, JD(S) rebel leader and former minister B A Jeevijaya was seen seated amid Siddaramaiah and Dinesh Gundu Rao.

During his speech, Jeevijaya said that the very speech is his last political speech. It is difficult to continue with value based politics. However, he will not retire from politics now, he added.

Notes distributed

The coalition parties’ meet in Kushalnagar also witnessed an opulent scene of electoral malpractice. Money was allegedly distributed to the audience gathered at the ground after the leaders left the venue. People were allegedly distributed with Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes by party workers.

Dinesh Gundu Rao loses his phone

KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao lost his mobile phone during the coalition parties’ meet in Kushalnagar on Monday. When he completed the programme and went to the helipad, he realised that his phone was missing.

Using somebody’s mobile phone, he contacted the party leaders and informed that his mobile was lost. The leaders and workers searched the programme venue for Dinesh’s phone, but in vain.