Karnataka Assembly Polls highlights: ‘PM Modi is like poisonous snake,’ Kharge

BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday said the Congress is desperate to come to power in Karnataka and that it is getting people from neighbouring Maharashtra to win the border constituency.

She said the Congress is fighting elections raising the Marathi issue but has not undertaken any development in this region, which is dominated by Marathi-speaking population.

Union Minister for State Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Thursday slammed Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "poisonous snake" and said that the Congress party is a habitual offender to defame the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and the PM.

He said, "First, Rahul Gandhi spoke derogatory words for the backward society. Now Mallikarjun Kharge has used objectionable and indecent language like 'poisonous snake' for the Honorable Prime Minister." (ANI)

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai mounted an attack on Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge for comparing PM Modi with a ‘poisonous snake.’

He said, "There is a poison in the mind of Mallikarjun Kharge. The Congress party is collapsing, and such comments come out of desperation. The entire Congress party is unable to fight PM Modi politically, hence they are making such comments. The people of Karnataka will teach them a real lesson.”

Mallikarjun Kharge has clarified about his controversial statement on PM Modi and told that it is not a personal attack on him. He said, “My comments are not meant for PM Modi. I called the BJP ideology poisonous, not attacked PM Modi personally. All I meant was if anyone touches BJP ideology, they will be dead because of the poison."

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge took a vile swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday while addressing the crowd at Karnataka’s Kalaburagi. He said, “PM Narendra Modi is like a poisonous snake. Now if you want to test a venom because I compared him with a poisonous snake, beware it will lead to your death. ” 

Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday held a roadshow in the Tadasa village of Shivamogga district.

He had earlier addressed the Congress' complaint against Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his recent “riots” remark, saying, “These are all political gimmicks by Congress. There is nothing in that complaint.” 

Kannada actor Kichha Sudeep on Thursday set out for a campaign in Ranebennur in support of BJP candidate Arun Kumar Pujara ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections.

A video shared by ANI showed that the film star had managed to gather a handsome crowd of supporters, who waved party flags and cheered. 

JD(S) leaders Narayana Gowda and Prabhakar Reddy joined the Congress party in Bengaluru on Thursday in the presence of senior leaders including KPCC chief DK Shivakumar. 

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge took a swipe at PM Modi in Karnataka. He said that PM Modi always sits next to those people who are masters of corruption. 

He said, “The BJP leaders in Karnataka are known for charging 40% commission in every work they do. The PM who speaks about abolishing corruption makes them sit next to him and protects them from all the forces. The people of Karnataka will teach a lesson to his party members in the elections." 

Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Thursday said he will campaign for his party at 42 places in the next 11 days in the run-up to the Assembly elections in Karnataka.

He said, “Starting from tomorrow I will campaign till May 8 at 42 places. This is a tentative programme. I will take rest once in a week keeping health conditions in mind because I have to take an injection once in a week.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Karnataka on April 29, ahead of assembly elections in the state. He is also set to hold a road show for around 4.5 kilometers in the state capital on Saturday, said senior BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje. 

While addressing the the BJP members in Karnataka virtually, PM Modi said, "I will be in the state in other couple of days and I will host the 100th ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in Karnataka. 

Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar on Thursday said the party has filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) over union home minister Amit Shah's remarks that there will be “riots” in Karnataka if the Congress comes to power. 

“Union Home Minister has said that if Congress comes to power then there will be communal riots. How can he say this? We have filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India on this,” Shivakumar told news agency ANI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held an interaction with Karnataka BJP workers virtually where he said, “I will visit Karnataka in a couple of days to receive the blessings of the people of the state. BJP leaders who have campaigned in the state have said that they received a lot of affection from the people there. This shows people's confidence in BJP.” (ANI)

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who recently recovered from Covid-19, on Wednesday said corruption has increased every time Congress has come to power. He was speaking at a public gathering in Jamkhandi, Belagavi. “Every Congress govt at centre has been accused of corruption, some ministers of their cabinet had to go to jail but since nine years there is BJP govt in our country....neither our PM nor any minister has any taint of corruption,” he said. (ANI)