Poll bound Karnataka is witnessing theatrics of gestures and war of words between Congress and the BJP. The election now has become Prime Minister Narendra Modi versus Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Congress president Rahul Gandhi who is extending soft Hindutva politics by temple hopping in his four day Janashirvada yatra has been attacking Prime Minister on corruption.
For Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah who is facing anti incumbency and internal rebellion the polls in Karnataka are crucial and they are struggling to keep their identity. Karnataka is the first litmus test for Rahul Gandhi after he took over the mantle from his mother. He has to prove and consolidate himself. In his first leg of the tour in the State he has been attacking Prime Minister over many issues. He is also comparing Modi and Siddaramaiah over the issue of development.
According to poll pundits, this is also a campaign for 2019 parliamentary elections and the congress expects it to be early. For Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is betting on this election to take the hot seat again playing appeasement politics to the hilt has angered the dominant communities both vokkaligas and lingayats. It is significant that a section of Dalits protested in front of Rahul Gandhi’s bus in two places during his yatara which shows the politics of polarisation and its importance for both the Congress and the BJP. Siddaramaiah who is talking development and corruption is also facing similar charges and recent IT raids show how his Ministers had amassed wealth disproportionate to their income.
In his last leg of poll campaign in Hyderabad Karnataka at Raichur on Monday Rahul Gandhi questioned PMs Silence over Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah’s corruption charges. He said the Prime Minister should look “left and right” before talking of corruption. “If you want to talk about corruption, talk a bit about Jay Shah’s corruption. How he made Rs 80 crore out of Rs 50,000 in three months. You should also be telling this to the country,” he said.
He also attacked Modi over make in India and digital India. “When China is creating 50,000 jobs every 24 hours, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, despite launching ‘Make in India’, Start up India’ and ‘Digital India’, has only created 450 to 500 jobs in the country”, he added. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on corruption in Karnataka, did he see in his rear-view mirror B.S. Yedurappa and a few ministers who went to jail in corruption related cases, said Gandhi. Interacting with the farmers at Sindanoor he said farmers are not getting the right price for their produce because the BJP has stopped protecting farmers. “If we come to power in Delhi, we will establish a revolving fund to bail out farmers and provide the right minimum support price and waive farm loans,” he added.
Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his ‘suit-boot ki sarkar’ jibe, he said the NDA government at the Centre had last year written off loans of wealthy Indians worth Rs 1.30 lakh crore, while ignoring the farmers’ plight.
“Start giving jobs to the youth, start helping farmers by waiving their loan. You don’t have much time. One year is left. Heard you are even planning to advance elections. Start working, stop giving excuses,” he said. Gandhi also took a jibe at Modi likening him to a cricketer, who bats looking at the wicketkeeper without knowing from where the ball is coming. The Hyderabad-Karnataka region comprises the districts of Bidar, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari and Kalaburagi which were part of the Nizam-ruled Hyderabad state till 1948.