DAVANAGERE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday declared that he is confident that the people of Karnataka have decided to bring back the double engine government in the state.
Addressing the ‘Vijaya Sankalp Yatre Maha Sangama, or culmination of the Vijay Sankalp Yatra which had set out from four places in the state, he said, “Karnataka has made up its mind to bring back the double-engine government in the state. The BJP has put development on fast-track. Therefore, the need of the hour is for the BJP to return to power in the interest of taking Karnataka to development and prosperity”.
Amid attempts by the Opposition leaders to rally in support of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi following his disqualification as a member of the Lok Sabha on Friday, the PM said the BJP has transformed the ‘politics of perception’ in the country into the ‘politics of performance’, adding that the country had been mired in “dirty politics” for years.
“Our country had been mired in dirty politics for years. What prevailed in the country then was the politics of allegation and blame game. But since coming to power, the BJP has transformed the ‘politics of perception’ in the country into politics of performance”.
Attacking the Opposition in Karnataka, which is the BJP’s gateway to the South, Modi said, “Karnataka saw and suffered opportunistic and selfish governments for a long time, which affected its progress. That is why a stable government of the BJP is the need of the hour, in the interest of the state’s development”.
Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, he said, “BJP wants to make Karnataka the driving force for a developed India. However, the Congress sees Karnataka as merely a means to fill the pockets of some of its leaders”. “Congress says ‘Modi Teri Qabr Khudegi’, but they don’t know that the people of Karnataka have a dream, which is ‘Modi Tera Kamal Khilega,” the PM added.
“Our government has been empowering the Dalits, poor, women and the oppressed sections. Ours has been a pro-poor government. Karnataka had seen years of governance by selfish and opportunistic alliances. Such governments inflicted grave harm to the state”, he added.
Modi addressed the audience as ‘brothers and sisters’ in Kannada. He said, “Congress is treating Karnataka as an ATM to fill its coffers and handing out fake guarantee cards to promoting party. The Congress’s false promises were revealed in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh”, he noted.
Taking on the Congress, he said the party has no positive agenda and is day-dreaming of coming to power while creating an illusion in the minds of people. “Do we need such a fake party for Karnataka?”, he asked the audience to which they replied, “Modi, Modi”.
“The entire world is looking at India now and India is looking at Karnataka now. I am not the reason for it, voters are the reason for it. I get inspired and my responsibility increases after seeing the affection of people and their support”, Modi said.
Taunting Siddaramaiah for slapping a party supporter in public, Modi said, “In some parties, their leader slaps party workers in public places. But for me, all party workers are equal. All are my friends and brothers”, he said. “No one is greater or lesser in the BJP, all are equal in the party. The BJP won the majority votes in the previous election too because of the hard work of the cadres”, he added.
Modi requested the people to give one more opportunity to the BJP to serve the people again. “Our responsibility has started now through this yathra. The BJP should meet voters in every booth. This is double engine government which works day and night for providing good governance for the people of state. I am getting emotional after seeing the response from Karnataka”, Modi said.
“People should think what will happen if there is no double engine government. The Congress and JD (S) had selected fewer beneficiaries for the Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, but the BJP government reached more farmers and more beneficiaries. People had seen opportunistic and selfish during the coalition government in the state. The state also incurred loss. Hence, now people have to decide which government should come to power. During the pandemic, the Karnataka government had done great job”, Modi said while congratulating Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for it.
Before the public rally, PM Modi held a mega road show. A huge crowd could be seen gathered to offer a grand welcome to the Prime Minister.
The Karnataka assembly elections are likely to be held in April-May. An official announcement of the poll schedule by the Election Commission is expected soon.
Political parties including the BJP and Janata Dal-Secular have already intensified their campaign in the southern state. The polls are being seen as particularly crucial for Congress for its national ambitions for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. (With Agency inputs)