Rahul Gandhi addresses an election rally in Kalgi, Karnataka.
In the run up to the assembly election in Karnataka, both BJP and Congress are running an aggressive election campaign to woo the electorate in the state. Victory in Karnataka is crucial for the grand old party that has seen one debacle after the other in state elections across the country over the past few years. The assembly election in Karnataka is also likely to give an edge to the winning party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
A day after PM Narenda Modi and Rahul Gandhi took potshots at each other at the election rallies, B.S.Yeddyurappa, the BJP's chief minsterial face, released the party manifesto today. This comes nearly a week after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi released the party manifesto and said the grand old party, ruling the state, had fulfilled most of its poll promises during its tenure. Mr Gandhi is also scheduled to address several public meetings in the state today.
Here are the updates of the poll campaign ahead of Karnataka assembly elections 2018
We Won't Let Reddy Brothers Enter Karnataka Assembly: Rahul Gandhi
PM Modi nominates BS Yeddyurappa as chief ministerial candidate. I will obviously question that. He is trying to get the corrupt Reddy brothers into the Karnataka assembly. We will protest against it. Come what may, we will not let the Reddy brothers get a place in the Karnataka Assembly: Rahul Gandhi
The BJP-RSS is assaulting Dalits across the nation while PM Modi remains silent: Congress President Rahul Gandhi
While businesses in India are having a difficult time, the firm owned by the son of BJP President Amit Shah turned Rs 50,000 into Rs 80 Crore: Congress President Rahul Gandhi
Not Afraid of PM Modi: Rahul Gandhi In Karnataka
"I will not disrespect PM Modi. I will criticise him respectfully, because I respect the post of the prime minister. But I will not stop asking him questions. I will raise concerns, ask questions... I will not back off. I am not afraid of Narendra Modi," Rahul Gandhi said today in Kalgi, Karnataka.
Ahead of the election rally in Kalgi, Rahul Gandhi paid his respects at Gurudwara Sri Nanak Jhira Saheb, Bidar.
The centre's slogan "Beti Bachao, Beti Padao" should rather be "Beti Bachao BJP ke MLA se" (Save the daughters from BJP lawmakers: Rahul Gandhi in Kalgi, Karnataka, referring to the Unnao rape case
Rahul Gandhi is addressing an election rally in Kalgi in poll-bound Karnataka.
On Thursday, PM Modi said the "garden city" Bengaluru had turned into "garbage city" under the Congress government. The BJP in its manifesto has underlined that it would allocate "Rs 2,500 crore "Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Fund" to clean and revive the lakes and rivers of Bengaluru and free Bengalureans from the water tanker mafia."
In its manifesto, the party said it will launch the "Mukhya Mantri Raita Suraksha Vime Yojane" to provide an accidental insurance cover of upto Rs 2 lakh, free of cost, for landless agricultural labourers.
Women's Safety, Sanitary Napkin For Re 1 In Manifesto
PM Modi this morning had stressed on women's safety in Karnataka while addressing the women workers of the Karnataka unit. In its manifesto, the party has talked about forming "a Special Investigation Cell, under a woman police officer and employing 1,000 police women to investigate all pending crimes against women."
BJP has promised to provide free sanitary napkins to lesser priviliged women and girl students and at Rs. 1 for other women under the new "StreeSuvidha Scheme."
The BJP said it would focus on farmer welfare, if elected to power. Here the highlights of the manifesto.
BJP will announce a crop loan waiver upto Rs 1 Lakh, including all loans from nationalised banks and co-operatives, in first cabinet meeting for the benefit of farmers
BJP has pledged to ensure that farmers receive 1.5 times the cost of production as Minimum Support Price (MSP) to fulfill PM Narendra Modi's "vision of doubling farmers' incomes", the party said on its official Twitter account
To support farmers during price fluctuations, Rs 5,000 Crore "Raitha Bandhu Market Intervention Fund" will be set up providing a safety net for farmers, BJP said
Welfare of farmers has always been our priority. We will allocate Rs 1,50,000 Crore for various irrigation projects in Karnataka and ensure water reaches to every field in the state: BS Yeddyurappa
HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar is present at the manifesto meet.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa is addressing party workers after BJP released its manifesto.
The BJP released its party manifesto today.
In a tweet, Rahul Gandhi hit out at PM Modi for calling Bengaluru a "garbage city" and attacking the Siddarmaiah government.
Awareness in the society about atrocities on women and sense of responsibility can help us get rid of social evil: PM Modi
The government has recently made stringent amendments in laws relating to crimes against women and children, increasing the punishment up to death penalty in some cases: PM Modi
"Even today people of Karnataka remember the schemes that were started by BS Yeddyurappa," PM Modi said. "Rs 10,000 were deposited for girls under the BS Yeddyurappa government's Bhagya Lakshmi scheme, which doubled during their marriage," he added.
PM Modi interacted with the women workers of Karnataka BJP unit via the NaMo app and replied to their questions.
We need to expose the hollow promises made by Congress party and urge the people of Karnataka to join the journey of development : PM Modi
It has always been our effort to give equal opportunity to women: PM Modi
We'll win the election but for us, it is important to win polling booth: PM Modi
Our country is moving from women's development to women-led development and this is what our party strongly believes in: PM Narendra Modi to Karnataka BJP's Mahila Morcha Workers
While addressing the women workers of BJP Karnataka, PM Modi said today that "focus is on women-led development".
PM Narendra Modi is interacting with Karnataka BJP's women wing ahead of May 12 assembly polls in the state.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also tweeted condolences after BN Vijaya Kumar's death. "Jayanagara MLA Shri B N Vijaya Kumar has died suddenly apparently due to cardiac arrest. I express my condolences to his family & loved ones. Shri Vijaya Kumar was a sincere & hard working political leaders. May his soul rest in peace," he posted on the micro-blogging site.
BJP's sitting legislator B N Vijaykumar died of a massive heart attack at a hospital in Bengaluru in the early hours today, the party said. A candidate for the May 12 assembly polls, BN Vijaykumar had collapsed during an election campaign in Jayanagar constituency in the city and was shifted to government-run Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology, where efforts to resuscitate him failed, state BJP join spokesman S Prakash told PTI.