Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today kick-start the Bharatiya Janata Party’s last-minute campaign blitzkreig in Karnataka where polling will be held in a single phase on May 12. On Tuesday, Modi will address three back-to-back rallies. The first rally will be held in Santhemarahalli town of Chamarajanagar district at 11:30 am. The party has never been very strong here and thus it is looking to boost its fortune in the region with PM’s rally.
Later, he will address a rally each at Udupi in coastal Karnataka at 3 pm. The rally will be held at AGM College Ground. Before addressing the rally, he will visit Krishna Mutt and seek blessings of the Pejawar seer. From here, Modi will travel to Chikkodi in Belagavi district of north Karnataka. The rally here will be held at 6 pm.
The Prime Minister is expected to address 15 rallies over five days as BJP hits the final leg of the party’s campaign trail ahead of the election in the state. While BJP president Amit Shah is likely to address 30 rallies in different parts of the state, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath is likely to address around 20 rallies. Modi had last visited Karnataka in February.
Polling for the 224-member Assembly will be held on May 12. Results will be declared on May 15.
PM Shri @narendramodi will address three rallies on 1 May 2018 in Karnataka. Watch LIVE at https://t.co/vpP0MInUi4. #NammaModi @BJP4Karnataka pic.twitter.com/AYNEsILxUa
— BJP (@BJP4India) April 30, 2018
On the eve of PM Modi’s visit t the state, CM Siddaramaiah posed questions to to him on Twitter. He assailed the PM over giving tickets to tainted mining baron G Janarhan Reddysbrothers an associates.
Would G Janardhan Reddy be joining your rallies here? You have given his family & friends 8 tickets, hoping it will help BJP in 10-15 seats.
And then, you lecture us on corruption.
Please end this hypocrisy. Kannadigas aren’t wearing Kamala on their ears.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 30, 2018
Siddaramaiah had also questioned him over party’s decision to declare BS Yeddyurappa as its chief ministerial candidate. Yeddyurappa was forced to step down as the CM in following indictment by the state Lokayukta in corruption cases. The outgoing Congress CM also referred to the incidents of rape in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir to question the PM about his promises that he had made before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. He targeted him alleging that UP CM Yogi Adityanath shielded the accused MLA and its leaders in Jammu and Kashmir defended the arrested persons accused of raping and murdering a minor girl.