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BIG STORY APRIL 28, 2023 | The Indian Eye 5

Minister Smriti Irani and others. assurances, Bommai said, “BJP gov-
Union Ministers Dharmendra ernment has given a lot of importance
Pradhan and Health Minister Man- to basic infrastructure like roads and
sukh Mandaviya also feature in the list. irrigation and reserved Rs 1000 crore
The Bharatiya Janata Party has for the Kalyana Karnataka Develop-
stepped up its campaign for Karnata- ment Board.”
ka assembly polls with party chief JP “The Congress is distributing the
Nadda holding a roadshow and rally guarantee cards that are of no val-
in Bidar and Union Home Minister ue. These are bogus cards. Congress
Amit Shah holding a meeting with promised 200 units free of cost but
Karnataka BJP leaders. Karnataka the people hardly use 70-80 units of
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai power,” he added.
was also present at Shah’s meeting However, lashing out at BJP na-
with Karnataka BJP leaders. Amit tional president JP Nadda, the Con-
Shah is on a three-day visit to Karna- gress on Wednesday alleged that it has
taka as part of BJP’s preparations for threatened to withhold constitutional
May 10 assembly polls. Shah was sup- rights of the people of Karnataka if
posed to hold a roadshow in Devana- they don’t vote for the saffron party.
halli but it was cancelled due to rain. They made the claim after Nadda
Nadda, who is on a two-day visit urged the people of Karnataka to vote
to the state, held a roadshow in Bidar BJP so that no one is devoid of Prime
on Friday in support of party candi- Minister Narendra Modi’s blessings.
dates. He also addressed a public Sharing a video of Nadda addressing
gathering. “BJP has always worked a public rally in the southern state, the
with a sense of commitment towards Congress, in a tweet, said it was a bla-
the betterment of society, whereas Union Home Minister Amit Shah being welcomed by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj tant attack on democracy.
Congress has had a long history of in- “BJP President JP Nadda threat-
terrupting social welfare schemes es- Bommai on his arrival, in Bengaluru on Friday (ANI) ens to withhold constitutional rights
tablished by either the Centre or the from the people of Karnataka if they
previous BJP governments,” he said. chief Kharge ji and others assured me bly polls in the state. don’t vote for the corrupt 40 per cent
Amit Shah on Friday held a that I will always get respect from the Jagadish Shettar became the sec- BJP govt. This is a blatant attack on
meeting with Karnataka BJP leaders congress party.” ond senior leader from the Lingayat democracy and shows how the BJP
in Bengaluru for the upcoming As- “I want no power. I only want re- community to leave the ruling BJP plans to treat the Kannadigas. We are
sembly elections. spect. I am not an ambitious person. and join Congress in less than a week. not subjects of a Raja but citizens of a
Meanwhile, former Karnataka I am not a power-hungry man,” he Earlier, former Karnataka Deputy federal country governed by the con-
Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who added. Chief Minister Laxman Savadi joined stitution,” tweeted Congress.
joined the ranks of Congress ahead of Jagadish Shettar will contest the Congress. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh,
the State Assembly polls, on Friday from his home-turf Hubbali-Dhar- But on Friday, after BJP candidate too, shared a clip of Nadda alleging
said he left the Bharatiya Janata Par- wad Central Assembly constituen- from Bhalki, Prakash Khandre, filed that he was threatening and scaring
ty (BJP) as his self-respect was hurt. cy with a Congress ticket. BJP has his nomination papers on Thursday, the people of Karnataka.
Shettar said, “Earlier whoever con- fielded Mahesh Tenginkai against Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj “There should be a limit to de-
tested from this constituency (from the turncoat Jagadish Shettar for the Bommai said there has been a com- votion too, Nadda ji. Why are you
BJP) everybody lost. I built the party seat in the upcoming polls. Shettar on petition between people’s power and threatening and scaring the people of
here in this place. In 1994, I contested Monday joined the Congress party, a arrogance and the anti-people forces Karnataka? With the blessings of the
for the first time and also got elected. day after quitting the BJP after being will bite the dust in the May 10 polls. people of Karnataka, the Congress
Subsequently, I have been re-elected denied a ticket for the May 10 assem- Hitting out at Congress over false government is going to be formed,”
from the seat. So, it is pretty clear that he Tweeted in Hindi.
the people have faith in me. I main- Earlier in the day, JP Nadda
tained the same relationship with the stepped up the attack on Congress
people of Hubballi.” He said BJP de- as the Karnataka Assembly elections
nying him a ticket for the upcoming inch closer, alleging that the grand
state assembly was an insult and his old party stands for “commission, cor-
self-respect was hurt. ruption, and criminalization”.
“My self-respect was damaged The BJP chief also appealed to
and because of this. I challenged the people to vote for the BJP stating
them. After joining Congress, I went that the state should not be “devoid
across areas in my constituency. Peo- of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s
ple ushered warm welcome,” the for- blessings”.
mer Karnataka Chief Minister said. “Congress means commission,
He said he had never expected corruption and criminalization. I am
that he would get this much respect here to appeal to everyone to vote for
from the Congress party. development,” Nadda said.
Asked about if he gets similar With heavyweights like Nadda
treatment in Congress where sever- campaigning in Karnataka, it is clear
al veterans like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar shows a victory sign as he holds a campaign in that BJP is trying very hard to win the
Kapil Sibal left the party, Shettar said, support of party candidate BL Devaraj after he files his nomination for the Karnataka Assembly state even as it has been damaged by
“My first meeting after joining of the elections on Thursday (ANI) some top leaders leaving the party
Congress it was all clear. Congress and crossing over to Congress.

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