While addressing Kisan Morcha Karyakartas of Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress government in Karnataka of manipulating and misleading farmers. Speaking to the farmers' body via his NaMo app, PM Modi said farmers welfare has been a prime objective of his government and that agricultural schemes have been revitalised to benefit the farming community. Stressing on the importance of agriculture, he said that all budgets presented by his government are focused on agriculture, and steps have been taken to bring reforms in the farm sector. PM Modi said that his government has set a target to double farmers' income by 2022. Farmers' issues are at the centre of the poll campaign, as the BJP hopes to wrest the southern state from the Congress.
Ahead of election day in Karnataka, the BJP -- in a bid to form a government again in the state -- has scheduled over 60 rallies. PM Modi is scheduled to address 15 rallies in different parts of the state. On the first day of his public meetings, he launched a searing attack on the Congress, targeting the party president Rahul Gandhi, in particular. Other rallies will be addressed by several senior leaders including BJP National President Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, among others. Karnataka will vote on May 12, and results will be declared on May 15.