Lok Sabha Elections: This election is about making Narendra Modi the PM: Amit Shah
BJP President Amit Shah on Saturday said Narendra Modi should be made the Prime Minister once again to secure the country and to give a "befitting" reply to terrorism and Pakistan.
Mr Shah held a massive road show at Bhadravathi in Karnataka's Shimogga, campaigning for party candidate BY Raghavendra, son of Karnataka BJP President and former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa.
BY Raghavendra is pitted against former legislator Madhu Bangarappa of Janata Dal Secular, who is the son of former Chief Minister S Bangarappa.
"This election is not only about making Raghavendra Member of Parliament, but to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister," Mr Shah said at the end of road show.
"Why should we make Narendra Modi Prime Minister? To secure the country, to give a befitting reply to terrorism and Pakistan.
"In order to give a befitting reply to Pakistan, people of Shimogga will have to press the ballot button adjacent to the Lotus symbol and BY Raghavendra's name," he said.
Noting that he too was facing election from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat on April 23, Mr Shah said he had come to campaign for BY Raghavendra to ensure his victory.
The road show that began with party workers greeting Mr Shah with a loud cheer in favor of BJP, lasted about 40 minutes.
BY Raghavendra, who is a sitting MP from Shimogga had defeated Madhu Bangarappa, joint candidate of ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition in the by-polls held in November last year.
While, BY Raghavendra is banking on the "PM Modi wave" along with his father's name and his work as MP, Madhu Bangarappa too is relying on his late father's legacy, support of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition, and on Ediga community, to which he belongs to.
Ediga community has considerable presence in Shimogga. Out of eight assembly segments in Shimogga, BJP had won 7 and Congress only one in Bhadravathi during the 2018 assembly polls.
Madhu Bangarappa had lost to his own brother Kumar Bangarappa of BJP during 2018 assembly polls from Soraba constituency.
BY Raghavendra's father and Leader of Opposition in the assembly, BS Yeddyurappa is the BJP legislator from Shikaripura constituency.
There are 12 candidate in the fray in Shimogga that would go to polls on April 23.