Modi is most lowly PM, says KPCC chief

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday called Narendra Modi “the most cheapest, lowly prime minister” for criticising Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s crop loan waiver.

“Modi doesn’t want the state government’s crop loan waiver to succeed. He doesn’t want farmers to be helped. Otherwise, he’d have supported us by talking to commercial banks. He’s the most cheapest, lowly PM that I’ve seen,” Rao told reporters here.

Rao’s attack comes after Prime Minister Modi recently termed Karnataka’s crop loan waiver scheme “lollipop.” Citing the previous Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s waiver of Rs 8,165 crore cooperative crop loans and the one being implemented by Kumaraswamy, Rao said Karnataka had given farmers at least two lollipops. What has Modi done for farmers? He’s only full of scorn,” he said.

Rao also dared Modi to come to Bengaluru for two hours in which time Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara will brief him on the way the crop loan waiver was being implemented. “Otherwise, you’re unfit to be the PM.”

The Congress on Friday formally launched Priyadarshini, a platform with which the party wants to woo young women ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Under Priyadarshini, women aged between 16 and 35 will be roped in to work on education, safety, health and employment across all Assembly constituencies. The programme was launched by Priyadarshini national in-charge Aditi Singh, who is the Rae Bareli MLA.