Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he speaks only about himself even in Karnataka and not about anything else.
He also sought to know why PM Modi was silent on the issue of corruption in Karnataka and never takes the name of his party's Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, his predecessor B S Yediyurappa and the state Home Minister Araga Jnanendra.
Mr Gandhi reminded the people that the May 10 Assembly elections in Karnataka is not about Narendra Modi but about their future and their children.
"Have you seen the meeting of the BJP? Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives and does not take the name of any leader. The way I mention the name of former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress state president D K Shivakumar, or Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, but Modi will never talk about their leaders," Mr Gandhi said at a public meeting here in Shivamogga district.
He said PM Modi never ever takes the name of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai or former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa "as if they do not exist." Every person of Karnataka is wondering why PM Modi is not taking the name of his own leaders including the state Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, who is contesting from Thirthahalli, Mr Gandhi said.
The former Congress president alleged that during the recruitment of sub-inspectors, rampant corruption took place but PM Modi never took the name of Karnataka's Home Minister.
"There are two reasons behind it (not taking the names of his leaders). One is that Narendra Modi talks only about Narendra Modi. For example, there is an election going on in Karnataka and others are talking about the people of Karnataka, development and corruption but Narendra Modi talks only about Narendra Modi in the Karnataka election. He never speaks a word on what the BJP government did in the last three years," Mr Gandhi said.
Calling the BJP government in Karnataka, 'a government by theft, which came into power by destroying democracy," Mr Gandhi asked the prime minister why he was silent on corruption.
Why does the Prime Minister never utter a word on its (BJP government's) corruption, he sought to know.
"If you are afraid of taking the name of Yediyurappa, Bommai or Home Minister, then at least explain what did you do to check corruption? What steps did you take to stop corruption?" Mr Gandhi said.
The Congress leader said, the contractors' association wrote to the Prime Minister that there is "40 per cent commission charged on everything" but he did not answer.
He told the crowd that this election is not about PM Modi.
"This election is not about Narendra Modi. This election is about your future, about your children, about your youth, mothers and sisters. This is Karnataka's election. The most important election is corruption, price rise and unemployment. In the last three years BJP has broken the world record on corruption. They have done 40 per cent corruption on every work," Mr Gandhi alleged.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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