Bengaluru: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak for five minutes on BJP’s ‘tainted’ candidates including its chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa.
With just a week left for the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, both Congress and BJP have got into a war of words, challenging each other. BJP is making an all-out effort to oust the Congress government from the state.
“You talk a lot. Problem is, your actions don’t match your words. Here’s a primer on your candidate selection in Karnataka.It plays like an episode of “Karnataka’s Most Wanted,” said Rahul in a tweet.
In a short video of over a minute posted along with a tweet, Rahul questioned Modi, “Will you speak for five minutes on 8 tickets given to the Reddy Brothers’ Gang.”
“Making someone who has 23 cases of corruption, cheating, and forgery as your CM candidate. When will you speak on your top 11 leaders facing corruption cases?,” the video says, carrying pictures and names of BJP leaders Sriramulu, Somashekhar Reddy, TH Suresh Babu, Katta Subramanya Naidu, CT Ravi, Murugesh Nirani, ES EN Krishnaiah Shetty Malur, Shivana Gauda Nayak, R Ashok, Shobha Karandlaje, who are candidates in the upcoming polls.
Further taking a dig, Rahul also said, “Awaiting your reply. PS. You can refer to a paper for answers.”
The reference is to Modi’s earlier remarks that Gandhi cannot speak for even five minutes without referring to notes.
The BJP has declared its state unit chief BS Yeddyurappa as CM candidate. The party has fielded G Somashekhara Reddy in Ballari city, and his elder brother and former Ballari Lok Sabha member G Karunakara Reddy in Harappanahalli in Davanagere district.
Last week, at a public rally in Chamarajanagar, Modi lashed out at Gandhi for challenging him and said, “I challenge you to speak for 15 minutes on the achievements of your government in Karnataka without reading from any piece of paper. You can speak in Hindi, English or your mata ki matra-bhasha (mother’s mother tongue).”
The Karnataka Assembly elections are slated for May 12 and results will be out on May 15.
Earlier in the day, claiming that the Congress and the JD(S) have entered into a “secret” pact for the Karnataka Assembly polls, Modi said today H D Deve Gowda’s party was “protecting” the Congress.
“Poll surveys, political pundits…Everyone is saying the JD(S) cannot defeat Congress. They cannot form government. If anyone can change the government in Karnataka, it is the BJP,” Modi said.