PM Modi sees me as a threat: Rahul

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi saw him as a "threat," and hence, directed most of his anger towards him.

Addressing the press along with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other senior party leaders here, Gandhi said, "Mr Modi has got anger inside of him. He has got anger for everybody, not only me. I am a lightning rod for that anger, I attract that anger because he sees a threat from me. But that is his problem. It is not my problem."

Responding to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders' jibes about his temple visits, including the name 'Election Hindu' tagged to him, Gandhi said, "When the BJP uses the term 'Election Hindu' it defines their own perspective of the religion."

"Throughout last 15 years, I've been visiting temples, mosques, gurudwaras, every religious institution I come across. BJP doesn't like this. I don't think they understand the meaning of the term Hindu. It's a perspective. It's something which lives with you throughout," he added.

He also explained the purpose behind those visits, "Our people have different religious beliefs. As a leader of a political party, it is my job to stand with them in their beliefs and so whoever invites me to whichever institution, I will go to because I respect their perspective. I will, however, not go to a single institution that divides the society."

Further, commenting on the aggressive campaign by the BJP in poll-bound Karnataka, which includes Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as the star campaigner alongside the participation of other Union Ministers, Gandhi said, "I can tell you why the BJP Union Ministers are campaigning in Karnataka - P-A-N-I-C. Panic. Congress showed them what they're capable of in Gujarat and now, they have clearly demonstrated what they're capable of in Karnataka."

Campaigning for the elections will end at 5:00 p.m. later in the day.

The election in Karnataka will be held on May 12 in 223 of the 224 constituencies of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, while the counting of votes and announcement of results will take place on May 15.

The election for one constituency has been postponed following the death of B.N. Vijay Kumar, Jayanagar BJP candidate.