Karnataka election: Rahul Gandhi rates BJP, Modi's manifesto 1/5; updates

Days before the Karnataka Assembly election 2018, Prime Minister Modi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi are repeatedly crossing swords. Catch the Karnataka election campaign updates here

Dubbing as 'tokenism' Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interaction with BJP women workers on women power today, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked him to learn from Karnataka on the subject and to "cut bhashan (speech) and promote action." The Chief Minister, in a series of tweets, listed out various initiatives of his government for women.

"Tokenism Modi ji. Real empowerment comes from real policies. Yesterday you ridiculed a candle light march to protest against defenders of child rapists in Kathua & today you pretend to care for Mahila Shakti," he said in a tweet in response to Modi's comments about important portfolios to women in his cabinet. Reaching out to women ahead of the May 12 assembly polls through his address to Karnataka BJP Mahila Morcha workers via 'Narendra Modi App', earlier in the day said capable women had been given important portfolios in his cabinet. He also pointed at two group photos of Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers at SCO summit held in China, where Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman representing India, were the only women. Siddaramaiah, who asked Modi to learn from Karnataka how it is done, in another tweet, said his government has made education free for girls from class 1 to Post Graduation. "Bengaluru, the city you ridiculed yesterday, leads the nation with 25 per cent women's participation in the workforce.In Delhi, the city you live in, the rate is 10 per cent. We must be doing something right," he said.

In a full-scale attack on the Siddaramaiah government on city-related issues, Modi had yesterday said that within five years it had turned Bengaluru, which was known as the country's 'Silicon Valley', into "a valley of sin", and the 'garden city' to "garbage city".  

Voting in the Karnataka Assembly polls will be held on May 12, 2018, in all 224 constituencies of the state Legislative Assembly. The counting of votes and announcement of results will take place on May 15, 2018.

Here are the top developments in the BJP and Congress' Karnataka Assembly election 2018 campaign:

1) "Women first" for govt and party, says Modi: Modi said that India is moving forward from women development to women-led development, and "women first" is the mantra of his government and the BJP. Reaching out to women ahead of the May 12 Assembly elections in Karnataka, Modi asked them to help the BJP win by focusing on polling booths. "Today, the country is moving forward from women development to women-led development," Modi said, interacting with Karnataka BJP Mahila Morcha workers through the 'Narendra Modi App', his third such outreach aimed at galvanising the party machinery for the D-day. He had earlier interacted with BJP office-bearers and candidates, and state farmers' wing leaders.

"We have such a mantra for country's development, our party also believes in this mantra," he said. "Mahila shakti" (woman power), Modi said, was important in the BJP's scheme of things. "For us, whether it is the organisation or the government, or framing of programmes, it is women first," he added. Noting that capable women hold important portfolios in his cabinet, Modi pointed at two group photos of the SCO summit in China where External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were the only women. "Both of them have connection with Karnataka," he said. Sitaraman is a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, while Swaraj had contested the 1999 Lok Sabha polls from Ballari against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, which the latter won.

2) Rahul says, Modi called Bengaluru a garbage city: Gandhi's condemnation comes a day after Modi attacked the Congress party's government in Karnataka for destroying the cityscape. "Calling Bengaluru, the garden city and the pride of India a garbage city is insulting," Gandhi tweeted and attached an infographic detailing the money spent by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance as compared to funding provided by the BJP-led NDA government on urban infrastructure. On Thursday, Modi at a poll rally in Kengeri on Bengaluru's outskirts blasted the Siddaramaiah government for allegedly turning India's Silicon Valley into a "sin valley" and Bengaluru into a "crime capital".

Though Bengaluru was admired the world over as a garden city, Modi said, the state government had turned it into a "garbage city", as it had no concern for basic amenities. Gandhi in his tweet said: "Building lies comes naturally to you, but you seem to find building cities very difficult. The data nails your lies."

3) SC bars BJP’s Janardhana Reddy from campaigning in Ballari: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed BJP leader G Janardhana Reddy's plea to be allowed to go to Ballari and campaign for his brother, who is a candidate in the Karnataka Assembly election, according to news agencies. The apex court said it did not find any merit in the plea.

 

Supreme Court dismissed the plea of BJP leader G Janardhan Reddy for letting him go to Bellary to campaign for his brother, who is a candidate for the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka. SC did not find any merit in the plea & dismissed it.

4) BJP releases Karnataka polls manifesto: BJP chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday launched the party's manifesto for the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 in Bengaluru.   

LIVE : BJP releases manifesto for Karnataka assembly elections 2018. #BJPVachana4Karnataka https://t.co/rGZW2yRiHc

Here is what the BJP manifesto promises:

• To support farmers during price fluctuations, Rs 50 billion (Rs 5,000 crore) "Raitha Bandhu Market Intervention Fund" will be set up providing a safety net for farmers.

• BJP has pledged to ensure that farmers receive 1.5 times the cost of production as Minimum Support Price (MSP) to fulfill Prime Minister Modi's vision of doubling farmers' incomes.

• BJP will launch the "Negilayogi Yojane" to provide direct income support of Rs 10,000 each to 2 million (20 lakh) small and marginal dry land farmers.  

• BJP will announce a crop loan waiver upto Rs 100,000 (Rs 1 lakh), including all loans from nationalised banks and co-operatives in first Cabinet meeting.

• BJP will set up the "Raitha Bandhu Department", directly under the Chief Minister's Office, to monitor the implementation of all farmer-friendly schemes executed by the Agriculture, Minor Irrigation and Water Resources ministries.  

• BJP will launch the "Mukhya Mantri Raita Suraksha Vime Yojane" to provide an accidental insurance cover of upto Rs 200,000 (Rs 2 lakh), free of cost, for landless agricultural labourers.

• If elected, Yeddyurappa will bring back a separate agricultural Budget to place focus on the needs of our farmers.

• To promote start-up culture, BJP has pledged to develop 6 "K-Hubs" as the biggest incubators and co-working spaces for start-ups in India at Hubballi, Bengaluru, Raichur, Mysuru, Mangaluru, and Kalaburagi.

• BJP will establish a Rs 100 billion (Rs 10,000 crore) "Stree Unnati Fund" to set up one of the largest women run co-operatives and establish "Stree Unnati Stores" to market its products at district and taluk headquarters.

• BJP will launch the "Mukhya Mantri Smartphone Yojane" to provide women from below poverty line (BPL) families with free smartphones.

• BJP will launch the "Mukhya Mantri Laptop Yojane" to provide every student enrolling in a college with a free laptop.

• BJP promises to provide free sanitary napkins to BPL women and girl students and at Rs 1 for other women under the new "Stree Suvidha Scheme".

• The "Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Preservation Bill 2012" will be reintroduced.

• BJP promises Rs 1.5 trillion (Rs 1.5 lakh crore) for "Sujalam Suphalam Karnataka Yojane" to complete all irrigation projects by 2023. 

• BJP will form a special investigation cell under a woman police officer and employ 1,000 police women to investigate all pending crimes against women.

• BJP will organise a special industrial investment summit for Hyderabad-Karnataka region in one of the district headquarters in the Article 371-J region every two years to attract investment into the area. 

• BJP will launch a Rs 25-billion (Rs 2,500 crore) "Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Fund" to clean and revive the lakes and rivers of Bengaluru and free Bengaluru residents from the water tanker mafia. 

• BJP will form "Kittur Rani Chennamma Flying Squads" to attend to distress calls of women in Bengaluru quickly.

• The Hyderabad-Karnataka Industrial Mega Corridor will be built from Hosapete to Hyderabad, passing through Koppal, Raichur, Yadgir, Kalaburagi, and Bidar.A BJP government in Karnataka would commit itself to "Inclusive Long-Term Vision of Development" in carrying out a "30 District - 30 Hub" mega development plan, the party claimed.

• The BJP would increase the amount payable at maturity under the Bhagyalakshmi scheme to Rs 200,000 (Rs 2 lakh), if elected to power, BJP said in its manifesto. 

• Among other key points in the party’s Karnataka election manifesto, BJP said it would launch "Mission Kalyani" to rejuvenate all tanks and lakes in the state.

• Also, if elected, BJP has promised to provide three-phase power supply for 10 hours for farmers to operate their pumpsets. 

• It has promised a Rs 30-billion (Rs 3,000 crore) Kamadhenu Fund for development of animal husbandry and dairy farming infrastructure and a Rs 10-billion (Rs 1,000 crore) fund for expanding veterinary services.

5) Modi says India moving to women-led development: Prime Minister Modi on Friday interacted with the office-bearers and workers of the BJP's Karnataka women's wing through the NaMo App. Modi talked about the initiatives taken by his government for woman empowerment.
 

During the interaction, Modi said India was now moving forward from women development to women-led development, and "women first" was the mantra of his government and the party. "Today the country is moving forward from women development to women-led development," Modi said. "When we have such a mantra for the country's development, our party also believes in this mantra. For party Mahila Shakti (women power) is important. For us, whether it is organisation or government or framing of programmes it is women first," he added.
 

The prime minister also asked the Karnataka women's wing members to win the May 12 Karnataka Assembly election by concentrating on booths. "We have to win state election. We will win, we will have to win Assembly constituency, but as always I urge karyakartas and for me the most important thing is winning polling booths," Modi said.
 

Holding that if the party wins polling booths no power can defeat it in the Assembly, he said, "Where is victory, it is in polling booths, rest is all its effects. We have to win polling booths." 

"When we have to win polling booths we will have to bring out Karnataka Congress government's false promises and misdeeds. We will have to appeal everyone to join in India's journey towards progress. In doing this our Mahila Morcha karyakartas are most influential as they do it by building trust," he added.

LIVE : PM @narendramodi interacts with Mahila Morcha Karyakartas of @BJP4Karnataka. #MahilaShaktiWithBJP https://t.co/yKohYlWiST

Read our detailed copy on how Modi crossed swords with Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah on May 3: Karnataka polls: Modi chides Cong; Siddaramaiah reminds him of 'Reddy gang' 

6) Second day of Rahul Gandhi's 8th Karnataka visit of the year today: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday commenced his eighth visit to Karnataka this year. During the first day of his two-day visit on Thursday, Gandhi was in the Bidar district, where he held corner meetings in Aurad, Bhalki, and Humnabad. Gandhi will again visit the state from May 7 to May 10.

7) Adityanath cuts short Karnataka campaign: Yogi Adityanth, currently on an election campaign in Karnataka, is rushing back tonight to visit storm-ravaged Agra, a senior official said today. The chief minister will arrive in Agra tonight and visit the calamity-hit areas tomorrow morning, Principal Secretary Information Avanish Awasthi said. Adityanath was criticised yesterday by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for remaining in Karnataka even after his own state was hit by the storm. "I am sorry your CM is needed here in Karnataka," Siddaramaiah had tweeted. "I am sure he will return soon & attend to his work there."

8) Adityanath accuses Karnataka Congress of having 'jihadi mindset': Adityanath on Thursday asked the people of Karnataka to reject what he called the "divisive" politics and "jihadi mindset" of the Congress. At a rally at Sirsi, he accused Siddaramaiah of playing the "most corrupt innings" that divides the society. "I have come here to call upon you to outrightly reject the divisive politics of the Congress, the jihadi mindset of the Congress, its policies of supporting terrorism and corruption," Adityanath said.  

Targeting Siddaramaiah, he claimed that "jihadis" killing 23 BJP workers in the state in the past five years was "proof" of the Congress party's alleged divisive politics. "Today, the Congress government in Karnataka and its chief minister, who is playing the most corrupt innings, are making the worst effort to divide the society. Their divisive politics supports terrorism," he said.

Seeking to draw a comparison between UP and Karnataka, Adityanath said no jihadi element can raise his ugly head in his state. "This government does not seem to be standing in favour of farmers, traders, citizens and BJP workers and does not seem to be doing justice to them. The government is encouraging anarchy," the UP chief minister said.

He also took a dig at Siddaramaiah over farmers' suicides and said their interests had been ignored due to the "indifferent" attitude of his government. "Today, the Siddaramaiah government is using Karnataka as its automated teller machine. Thus, I have come here to tell you that Congress-free Karnataka is the need of the hour," Adityanath said.

9) Siddaramaiah highlights Modi gaffe on General K S Thimayya: Hitting back at Modi, Siddaramaiah retweeted former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav's tweet pointing to an alleged gaffe by Modi during his speech at Kalaburagi on Thursday. While addressing poll rallies in Karnataka, Modi said the Congress is a party that has disrespected the armed forces. "Forgetting the national heroes, patriots and history is the nature of a family in the Congress. (Jawaharlal) Nehru and V K Krishna Menon insulted General (KS) Thimayya, who had to resign. They neglected General (K M) Cariappa," Modi told an election rally, as he sought to connect with the voters of the home state of the two legends of the Army.    

Modi said, "India defeated Pakistan in 1948 under the leadership of Field Marshal Thimayya. But after the valour, General Thimayya who saved Kashmir was repeatedly insulted by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the then defence minister V K Krishna Menon and because of which General Thimayya had to resign from his post. I want the new generation of Karnataka to know about Congress party's attitude towards the chief of army, who was the son of Karnataka." 

Yadav tweeted, "No sir, Krishna Menon was Defence Minister from April 1957 to October 1962. Thimayya was Army Chief from May 1957 to May 1961. Sir can't the PMO afford a fact-checker? It's so embarrassing!" 

Siddaramaiah tweeted that Karnataka holds its revered son Field Marshal K M Cariappa in high esteem.

10) Siddaramaiah has six questions for Modi: The Prime Minister should list five things he has done for Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said and posed a few questions.  

Siddaramaiah's six questions pertained to when the Centre would give approval to the Kannada flag, when it would amend the rules for banking recruitment exams making knowledge of Kannada compulsory for banking jobs in Karnataka, when Modi would intervene in Mahadayi river row between Karnataka and Goa, when would the Centre "do justice to Karnataka" and revise its State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) allocation, when would it stop the divestment of "Bengaluru's jewel" Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML), and when would it rectify "the injustice done to Bengaluru" by "taking away Rafale from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited".  

With agency inputs