Modi's 'gimmicks' won't work in Karnataka: Congress

Says Modi should learn from Karnataka to take his state on the path of all-round development, not by just bringing Tata Nano plant there

Hitting back at Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Thursday said his "gimmicks" would not work in Karnataka in the May 5 Assembly polls.

"Modi's campaign speeches are nothing but gimmicks and they will not work as people of Karnataka are least interested in such tricks," AICC general secretary BK Hariprasad told reporters here. He was responding to Modi's two rounds of campaign during which he took repeated barbs at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Hariprasad said Modi should learn from Karnataka to take his state on the path of all-round development, not by just bringing Tata Nano plant there. "Modi should implement our model of the development, which we implemented when we ruled Karnataka," he said. Asked why the Congress was unable to market its achievements as successfully as Modi, Hariprasad said the political agenda of Congress and BJP were different.

"Their agenda is abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution under which Jammu and Kashmir is enjoying a special status, bring back the Uniform Civil Code and construction of Ram Mandir. Whereas our agenda is development of all sections of the people including youth, women and suppressed people," he said. Asked how many seats the Congress was expecting to win, Hariprasad said the party would secure majority and form the next government. He said the party had not changed any chief minister especially after Sonia Gandhi became AICC president.