PremiumKarnataka Election 2023 Updates: With a week to go for assembly polls in Karnataka, political parties have stepped up their campaign and senior leaders of BJP, Congress and JD-S addressed rallies and held roadshows to woo voters on Wednesday. Ahead of the Karnataka Assembly election 2023, a controversy has caught up with the Congress ever since they allegedly announced that they will impose a ban on Bajrang Dal if the party is elected to power in the state. Bajrang Dal members organised a protest against Congress on Thursday against its proposal, burned its manifesto and also vandalised one of its offices in Jabalpur, MP.
Attacking Congress ahead of the Karnataka assembly elections, PM Narendra Modi on Friday said the former has become a slave of appeasement and vote-bank politics.
Addressing an election rally in Tumakuru, PM Modi said, "Congress has now started objecting to saying Jai Bajrangbali. Congress has become a slave to appeasement and vote-bank politics. Congress can never work for the welfare of Karnataka. It can never develop Karnataka.
PM Modi said in an election rally that Congress has become the enemy of children in villages. “Congress has announced that if they come to power they will discontinue the National Education Policy. Congress is saying that technical education will not be done in Kannada and it wants to snatch away all the facilities for the students," PM Modi said.
Congress is desperate, they make mistakes and then overreact. They don't have credibility. Right after people reacted to their mistake, they're saying they will build Hanuman temples. As we're strengthening in Varuna, Siddaramaiah is bringing film stars. They make mistakes and then clarify. In this camera world, they can't justify their mistake. PM's visit will benefit us: Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai
CM Basavaraj Bommai has exuded confidence that the BJP will get a comfortable majority in the Karnataka election. “In Varuna, we have had a positive report for the BJP candidate from day one. We are expecting more numbers than the surveys show. We will get a comfortable majority," PM Modi said.
PM Modi said in his election rally that he was surprised to see Congress succumbing to terrorism for the sake of its vote bank. “I am surprised to see that Congress has succumbed to terrorism for the sake of its vote bank. Can such a party ever save Karnataka? In the atmosphere of terror, the industry, IT industry, agriculture, farming and glorious culture here will be destroyed," PM Modi said.
The situation of civil war in Sudan is such that even big countries refused to evacuate their citizens from there, but the Government of India was engaged in its efforts. We conducted Operation Kaveri and brought back our people from such places where it was difficult to reach by plane and Congress did not support the country in such difficult times: PM Narendra Modi in Ballari, Karnataka
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reacted to the ongoing controversy over the film ‘The Kerala Story’, saying that the movie is based on a terror conspiracy. Addressing a rally in Ballari of poll-bound Karnataka, PM Modi said ‘The Kerala Story’ shows the ugly truth of terrorism and exposes the plans of terrorists. Click here to read more
"I want to tell DK Shivakumar that he is not going to become the CM, so it is better if he does not make the temple promise," says Union Minister Smriti Irani
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortly to address a public meeting in Ballari, Karnataka
"Appeasement politics is drowning the Congress. Congress has always suffered whenever they called Hindu terrorism," says Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Congress President DK Shivakumar's promise of a new Hanuman temple in Karnataka
On being asked about his opinion of banning Bajrang Dal, former Karnataka CM & Congress leader Jagadish Shettar says, "Many points are there in the election manifesto, why should we restrict to this issue. Banning any organization is the power of the central government, not the state government. Veerappa Moily clarified that there is no question of banning Bajrang Dal."
Congress has taken the election discourse to a "very low level", says K'taka CM Bommai
K'taka CM Bommai junks pre-poll surveys of a Cong. edge in May 10 polls; says BJP will secure comfortable majority
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday parried a question on the demand for a ban on Bajrang Dal in the state, which has been raised by one of his close aides even as his ally Congress has promised the same in poll-bound Karnataka. The JD(U) supreme leader was asked about a recent statement by party MP Kaushalendra Kumar, who represents his home district of Nalanda in the Lok Sabha, who has favoured a ban on Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, an RSS-affiliate.
"We are working towards uniting all opposition parties. Once that is achieved, we would all sit together and come out with a common agenda. Until then, I do not wish to speak on such matters", the Chief Minister told reporters. His party MP's demand came in the backdrop of the Congress' promise, in the manifesto for Karnataka assembly polls, to ban Bajrang Dal upon being voted to power. This has enraged the BJP, the political offshoot of the RSS, and invited criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Congress on Friday hit out at Home Minister Amit Shah's reported remarks that the BJP stands for promotion of all languages, alleging that the Modi government had spent ₹640 crore to promote Sanskrit while just ₹3 crore on promotion of Kannada.
Shah, in an interview to The Hindu, said the BJP stands for the promotion of all Indian languages and the accusation that it promotes Hindi at the cost of regional languages is “politically motivated".
Reacting to the remarks, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet, "The HM has claimed in an interview that the BJP stands for 'promotion' of all languages…Is that why the Modi Govt has spent ₹640 cr to promote Sanskrit and JUST ₹3 cr to support promotion of Kannada, one of the six classical languages of the country?"
"I welcome DK Shivakumar's move of going to the temple because he is a Hindu. But they are doing these types of politics for the Muslim votes," says Karnataka BJP leader and former minister KS Eshwarappa on a row over Congress manifesto mentioning ban on Bajrang Dal
In a tweet, Congress wrote, “Here is the corruption rate card of the 'TROUBLE ENGINE' 40% Sarkara"
In an interview with The Hindu, Amit Shah said that the upcoming Karnataka polls are important and BJP will get full majority
Fishermen community in Ankola, Uttara Kannada express their gratitude to the Ministry for Fisheries & Govt's initiatives that help them to make a living. "Our community wants BJP govt once again. We are happy with their work for us. We also want jobs…, he said.
₹4,04,94,500 unaccounted cash seized from a house and a car in Zion Hills by KGF Police under the direct supervision of SP Dr Dharani Devi. The money was kept allegedly for distribution among voters
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday said people with the BJP's ideological background cannot stay in the Congress for long. Mishra's remark came amid speculation that three-time MLA Deepak Joshi, son of former chief minister late Kailash Joshi, might quit the BJP and join the Congress. Apart from Deepak Joshi, senior BJP leaders Satyanarayan Sattan and Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat are also openly expressing their disgruntlement with the ruling party. When asked about this, Mishra told reporters here, "They belong to our ideological family. Even if a person from such a family does something on an impulse, he comes back.....Because people from this family cannot assimilate in Congress." Sartaj Singh and Ramkrishna Kusmaria had returned to the party fold leaving the Congress, he pointed out, adding that when nothing happens in a Congress government, all such leaders return to the saffron party.
The BJP has decided to split Prime Minister Narendra Modi's eight-hour scheduled roadshow on Saturday for two days, following concerns expressed by Bengalureans over difficulties that they will face due to such a day-long programme. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje said the PM would now hold a road-show on two days - on Saturday from 10 am to 1.30 pm , and from 10 am to 2.30 pm the next day. The party had on Wednesday said Modi would hold a 36.6 km road-show here on Saturday, covering a distance of 10.1 km from 11 am to 1 pm, and 26.5 km from 4 pm to 10 pm. "The public has expressed that it will be a problem if the road-show is held for the entire day. So, we have respected their feeling and spread it over two days", Karandlaje told reporters on Thursday.
With the promise of a possible ban on Bajrang Dal in its election manifesto being made a big election issue by BJP, the Congress has done an internal survey which says only a small section of people in Karnataka feel it is an election issue, party sources said. They said according to the survey, only seven per cent of voters in Karnataka are even aware of what the issue is and "of this less than 10 per cent thought it was an election issue"
Congress sources did not give details of sample size, areas where it was done or the age group in which the survey was done. The survey claimed that most of these voters "were anyway already BJP voters" and "anti-BJP voter consolidation for the Congress on this issue is much higher".
Party sources said the survey said in only four seats in coastal areas, there may be 1000-1500 votes loss because of the issue and the candidates there "have been informed to work harder to gain that back". Congress sources said while the BJP is focusing on this issue, the party is focusing "on delivering five guarantee cards in focused 90 seats to ensure a majority for the party".
Calling upon people in Karnataka to vote for any other party but the BJP in the assembly polls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday said she would be happy if the saffron camp’s “downfall" starts with the southern state ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Banerjee, during an address at TMC's mass outreach campaign, said the "sooner the BJP is voted out of power", the better it is for the nation, as it is the “worst" political party in the country.
“Don't vote for BJP in the Karnataka Assembly polls; vote for any other party you like... I would be happy if BJP's downfall starts with Karnataka (ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections)," she said.
Wearing a simple kurta pyjama and a Titan watch gifted by late spiritual leader Shivakumara Swamiji of Siddaganga Math, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday held a road show in his home constituency covering nine villages, seeking re-election. After having a simple breakfast of broken wheat upma and sugarless tea, Bommai sat in his vehicle in the front seat and stopped at each village as supporters were waiting in small crowds to welcome the chief minister with garlands and traditional drum beats.
"...People have realised the anti-Hindu face of Congress. They will get a befitting reply for the politics of appeasement they do. The kind of language they use for the PM of the country - people have given them a befitting reply earlier too. People will keep them out this time too & BJP will form the Govt," says Union Minister Anurag Thakur
₹4,04,94,500 unaccounted cash seized from a house and a car in Zion Hills by KGF Police under the direct supervision of SP Dr Dharani Devi. The money was kept allegedly for distribution among voters. Details awaited.
Congress chief DK Shivakumar said after visiting Chamundeshwari temple in Mysuru that the party would prioritise construction of Lord Hanuman temples after coming to power. “We have a commitment to the development of Anjaneya (Lord Hanuman) temples across the state if the Congress party comes to power. Our party will also prioritise the construction of new Anjaneya (Lord Hanuman) temples in various parts of the state," Shivakumar said.
Congress has clarified on its election manifesto which proposed a ban on the Bajrang Dal if it is elected to power in Karnataka, saying that the party never said it would put a ban on the outfit. Congress leader M Veerappa Moily, addressing a press conference, said the Bajrang Dal cannot be banned by the state government.
Addressing a poll rally in Karnataka's Kanakagiri, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, “Bjp government is in power for 3 years. Whenever there is a new government it tries to create a new identity…. isn’t it sad & shameful that Karnataka BJP is known as “40% Sarkar"? This name was not given by any party, but was given by the contractors who were forced to commit suicide."
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited the ancient Kamakagiri Temple built by Shri Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagar Empire.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his Karnataka elections campaign pitch stressing on stable governments, alleging that the BJP-led dispensations in the state after the 2018 polls were born out of "deceit, horse-trading and money power".
In his campaign speeches in Karnataka, Prime Minister Modi has been asserting that for the fast-paced all round development, a strong and stable BJP government with full majority is important.
Attacking the prime minister, Chidambaram tweeted, "Hon'ble PM has appealed to vote for the BJP to provide stable governments in Karnataka. After the 2018 general elections to the Karnataka state assembly, the state has witnessed four governments. Some stability!"
"BJP-led governments were not voted to power by the people. They were born out of deceit, horse-trading and money power," the former Union minister alleged.
Senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa on Thursday burnt a copy of the election manifesto of the Congress and attacked the party for its proposal to ban Bajrang Dal if it came to power in Karnataka. Describing the outfit as a "patriotic organisation", the former Deputy Chief Minister asked; "How dare they (Congress) have courage to talk about banning Bajrang Dal". The Congress in its manifesto for the May 10 Assembly elections in Karnataka said it was committed to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred amongst communities on grounds of caste and religion.
Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai said, “We fight elections based on our programs, they fight elections on their promises. It is not right to stir up caste, religion and communal sentiments unnecessarily in elections, this shows the appeasement politics of Congress. The Congress party today is in the grip of SDPI and PFI, and it cannot get out of it."
He added, “If we talk against SDPI, PFI, the Congress leaders will start to worry. PFI is another form of SDPI. Congress had openly sought the support of SDPI. SDPI and PFI grew strongly during the Congress period"
Shiggaon in Haveri district has emerged as a high profile constituency in this Assembly election, with the Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai seeking re-election for the fourth consecutive time from the segment.
The Congress has not been able to win the seat, once considered its stronghold, since 1999. The JD(S) and independent candidates won from here in 1999 and 2004 respectively.
Bommai first contested the Assembly elections in 2008 as a BJP candidate, after quitting Janata Dal (United). Shiggaon has a sizeable Muslim population, and has elected a Muslim MLA in the past. The Congress has fielded Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan from the constituency, while Shashidhar Yeligar is the JD(S) candidate.
Ahead of Karnataka polls, sale and trade of liquor will be prohibited for 4 days across the state. The sale of liquor will be prohibited from 5 pm on 8th May to 6 pm on 11th May and later from 6 pm on 13th May to 6 am on May 14, News9 has reported citing EC's order.
Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal recite Hanuman Chalisa in Vijayanagar in order to protest against the Congress manifesto for Karnataka elections. As per the manifesto, “We believe that law and Constitution is sacrosanct and can not be violated by individuals and Organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities. We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on any such organisations"
While speaking to ANI, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said, “"Congress party is trying to divide the people of the country on the basis of religion for votes. I want to ask Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi whether Bajrang Dal is anti-national? Is Bajrang Dal a terrorist organization? You want to come to power only for Muslim votes in the name of Bajrang Dal and by dividing people in the name of religion
After Congress in its manifesto mentioned about the ban on Bajrang Dal, Congress' Veerappa Moily has said that banning an outfit is not possible by a state government.
"We have mentioned both the PFI and the Bajrang Dal in our manifesto. This includes all (radical) outfits. Banning an outfit is not possible by a state government. The Bajrang Dal cannot be banned by the Karnataka government," he was quoted by India Today. "DK Shivakumar will give more clarity... Even the Supreme Court has given judgement to stop hate politics. We have no proposal to ban the Bajrang Dal. I can tell you this as a leader," Moily added.
Here's what Congress proposed in its manifesto:
- It will provide 200 units of free electricity. It will also hand ₹2,000 every month to each and every woman head of the family, ₹3,000 per month for two years to unemployed graduates and ₹1,500 per month to unemployed diploma holders.
- Free travel to all women in regular KSRTC/BMTC buses
- The Congress manifesto also mentions, “We believe that law and Constitution is sacrosanct and can not be violated by individuals and Organisations like Bajrang Dal, PFI or others promoting enmity or hatred, whether among majority or minority communities. We will take decisive action as per law including imposing a ban on any such organisations"
- Congress party is committed to increasing reservations for SC’s from 15% to 17%, for ST’s 3% to 7%, and restore minority reservations of 4% and increasing reservations of Lingayat’s, VokKaliggas’s and other communities and to pursue inclusion in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution, the manifesto mentions
- The ceiling and reservation are to be increased from 50% to 75% to accommodate the hopes and aspirations of SC/ST/OBC/Minority/ and other communities like Lingayat and Vokkliggas.
Ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections, a survey conducted in the poll bound state showed unemployment as the most issue for voters. Read more here
Accusing the Congress of hurling abuses at him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said people of Karnataka do not support this "black culture" and that they should punish those making abuses by saying 'Jai Bajrangbali' when they cast their vote.
Referring to Congress, PM Modi said it tries to get votes by abusing him.
"What is the other way to seek votes, abuse Modi, abuses are being hurled...does anyone in Karnataka accept the black culture, a culture where anyone can abuse, a culture of abuse...does Karnataka forgive those who hurl abuses. What will you do this time, will you punish... when you press the button at the polling booth, punish those (who hurl abuses) by saying 'Jai Bajrangbali'," he said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda on Wednesday alleged that Congress has been putting obstacles on the path of State's development, adding that the manifesto of the grand old party for the upcoming May 10 Karnataka Assembly elections is the "manifestation of their mental level".
Launching an attack on the recently released Congress manifesto, Nadda said, "Their (Congress) manifesto is the manifestation of their mental level. People are now fighting against dynastic rules and they want development. So Bharatiya Janata Party has come forward."
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will attend public meeting in Kanakagiri & Hirikerur in Karnataka today
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has posted a video on Twitter which shows a boy purportedly using abusive words against him, and claimed the minor was a Bajrang Dal member. On Tuesday, the Congress in its manifesto for the upcoming Karnataka polls promised to take action as per law, including banning organisations like this right-wing Hindu outfit and the PFI, accusing them of spreading hatred.
The manifesto sparked a strong protest from the Sangh Parivar. While posting the video, CM Baghel wrote, "This child, who refrains from taking the name of Lord Ram, is cursing me. He is a member of the Bajrang Dal. Look at what these people have turned our children into in the name of religion." "I wish this child a bright future. May God make all children knowledgeable and strong like Hanuman Ji," he added in the tweet.
Amid the row over the Congress manifesto mentioning the ban on the Bajrang Dal outfit, former Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy said that the grand old party is raising the issue now but did nothing during their rule in the state.
The remarks came in the wake of Congress' manifesto for the May 10 Assembly elections in Karnataka, wherein the party bracketed outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI) and Bajrang Dal together and stated it would ban the organisations once it is voted to power.
"All those things are not important. When Congress Govt ruled for 5 years, why did they not ban it then? Why are they raising the issue now? We have to change the culture of those organisations. We have to teach them how to behave in public life. That is important," says JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy. Earlier on Wednesday, the members of Bajrang Dal were detained by the Police in Hyderabad for staging a protest against the Congress' manifesto.
Bajrang Dal protestors raised slogans against the Congress party in front of their party office against this announcement.
It would not be wrong to say that Congress is facing a do-or-die situation in poll-bound Karnataka as the grand old party has been on the back foot after back-to-back debacles in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections along with humiliating defeats in a series of recently-held Assembly elections across the country. Read more here
Amid the high-voltage campaign for the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections, the Congress party is leaving no stone unturned to gain power in the southern state. Meanwhile, its internal discussions are in full swing to stay one step ahead of the Opposition, informed sources.
According to the Congress' internal report, the party hopes to gain power in Karnataka and leaves no stone unturned. In this regard, the party is continuously asking for secret reports from supervisors so that wherever there is any deficiency, it can be rectified. According to Congress strategists, Aam Aadmi Party can get votes in a few urban seats due to which the grand old party can suffer. However, Aam Aadmi Party is contesting more than 200 seats in the upcoming election.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge while addressing in Sedam, Karnataka said, “What has BJP done for the country? did you give freedom Is there anyone in your party like Mahatma Gandhi ji, Indira ji and Rajiv ji, who gave martyrdom for the country! Modi ji just keeps asking - what did the Congress do in seventy years? We preserved and strengthened democracy in the country"
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made a slew of promises in its manifesto for Karnataka polls which included implementing the Uniform Civil Code(UCC) and National Register of Citizens. The UCC would replace the personal laws, based on the scriptures and customs of various religious communities, with a common set of rules governing every citizen of the country. Read more here
The crowd was ecstatic and the music loud. In the historic town of Srirangapatna, the erstwhile capital of Tipu Sultan’s kingdom of Mysore, these supporters of Janata Dal (Secular) danced and blared their throat out. Crackers were burst and the road, near the town’s bus terminus, turned into a sea of green and white flags—the party’s colours.
Nothing would deter the crowd. Not even the sweltering heat or the four hours they had to wait to hear H.D. Kumaraswamy, the former chief minister of Karnataka and the party’s leader. Read more here
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met Padma Shri recipients Tulsi Gowda and Sukri Bommagowda in poll-bound Karnataka's Ankola. On meeting them, PM Modi sought their blessings. The Padma Shri recipients Tulsi Gowda and Sukri Bommagowda expressed their delight and joy on meeting PM Modi. "I felt very happy after getting the Padma Shri award, not only me my Halaki Vokaliga community felt very proud. My one simple request to the government is that they should include us under the ST category which will be beneficial to our community and secure our children's future," she said while talking to ANI. Sukri Bommagowda won the Padma Shri, the third-highest civilian honour in the country, for folk singing in 2017. Tulsi Gowda, an environmentalist, was conferred with the Padma Shri award in 2021.
Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued notice to Congress leader Priyank Kharge over his ‘nalayak’ remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election speech in Karnataka. The election body opined that prima-facie, the remarks appears to be a breach of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Priyank Kharge is asked to submit his response by 4 May, after which the commission will take the appropriate action in the matter
Sources told news agnecy ANI that Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi will campaign in Karnataka polls on May 6 and address a rally in Hubbali district.
The Income Tax Department on Thursday raided the residence of the Karnataka Congress leader's brother who has allegedly hidden ₹1 crore cash in a tree. The officials recovered the cash from a box kept in a tree. Read more here
In a major boost to BJP's campaign in poll-bound Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to take out a 36.6-km roadshow in Bengaluru on Saturday covering 17 assembly constituencies of the city, sources told ANI. Over 10 lakh people are expected to take part. Sources added that PM Modi will take out two mega road shows and four public meetings this weekend. According to sources, PM Modi will arrive in Bengaluru on the night of May 5 and will hold two roadshows in the city on May 6. The first roadshow will cover about 8 km while the other will cover a distance of 36.6 km, they said. On May 7, PM Modi will also address four public meetings in different parts of the state.
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