Last Update: April 19, 2023, 12:59 pm IST
Other senior BJP leaders told News18 that the issue of ‘4% Muslim reservation’ and the Congress’ ‘Modi teri kabar khudegi’ comment would also be central to PM Narendra Modi’s campaign to put the Congress on the back-foot. (PTI File)
PM Modi may aggressively attack the Congress’s history of corruption before 2014 and “expose” its track record of not fulfilling its poll promises after its earlier state election victories.
“It’s not over yet, Narendra Modi It is yet to come” – this is what the BJP camp has to say on the Karnataka election campaign as the Congress is already claiming absolute majority.
“Our ground reports suggest that we are ahead of the Congress by 7-10 seats. Our campaign is yet to begin. Look for the story to change once our big campaign begins from the last week of April under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” a senior BJP leader told News18.
Another BJP leader said that the Prime Minister would give a befitting reply to the Congress’s ‘PayCM corruption’ and ‘freebies’ campaign. Modi is likely to aggressively attack the Congress’s history of corruption prior to 2014 and “expose” the Congress’ track record of not fulfilling its poll promises after its earlier state election victories.
The Congress has made four poll promises such as Rs 2,000 allowance to women through guarantee cards and 200 units of free electricity. The PM may remind voters about the twin-engine development and the host of expressways and airports coming up in the state under the BJP government.
BJP leaders say that many central schemes in Karnataka have been supplemented by the government and people may be deprived if the Congress comes to power. “While the central government sends under Rs 6,000 PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, Government of Karnataka adds another Rs 4,000 to this. Will it go away if Congress comes to power? a BJP leader asked.
While the Congress is claiming a runaway victory, the BJP camp feels it is a tight contest in which the BJP has an edge due to social metrics in the state. Other senior BJP leaders News18 spoke to said the issue of ‘4% Muslim reservation’ and the Congress’ ‘Modi teri kabar khudegi’ remark would also be central to the PM’s campaign to push the Congress on the back-foot. The first issue will be used to highlight the appeasement policy of the Congress and the second issue has already been raised by the PM in his previous public meetings in Karnataka to say that the opposition party wishes him dead. This will also be an attempt by the BJP to derail the ‘local issue-oriented’ campaign of the Congress so far in the Karnataka elections.
Shettar-Laxman exit
BJP leaders say Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi are leaders beyond their prime and are unlikely to win the seat. “Shettar also knows that the BJP will win in Karnataka, so he wanted a ticket for himself, not even for his son, as he sees himself as a CM contender if he wins his seat. He knows that he is a senior Lingayat leader and can challenge Basavaraj Bommai. The BJP did not fall into this trap,” argued a senior BJP leader. Laxman was defeated in the 2018 election as well after switching to BJP but the party still made him MLC and Deputy CM. “He wants the BJP to repeat its mistake again and give him the ticket,” the BJP leader said.
He clarified that the BJP has contested the elections for generational change on 74 first-timer tickets, mostly given outside Bengaluru. “Why has the Congress delayed its tickets after launching them early? A party which is winning quickly should have done so,” said a BJP leader.
BJP feels that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s campaign in Karnataka will be the X-factor.
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