Congress pursuing divide and rule policy: Modi in Karnataka

Asserting that the people of Karnataka have decided to uproot the Congress and punish it for its wrongdoings, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the party is already trying to find excuses like faulty EVMs for the "impending" defeat in the assembly polls.

With barely two days left for the campaign to end, Modi ratcheted up the attack on the Siddaramaiah government over alleged corruption and said there is not even a single minister who is not facing accusations of graft.

Addressing back-to-back rallies in Vijayapura and Koppala in north Karnataka and in Bengaluru, Modi brought the Congress in the line of fire over its "dynasty politics" and attempts to divide the society.

In his rally in the country's IT capital, Modi said the Congress government had not left any stone unturned to defame Bengaluru across the world.

"I still cannot understand what anger Karnataka chief minister has against Bengaluru, that he has turned his face away from Bengaluru."

"This is such a government that has weakened Lokayukta, Lokayukta can get attacked. ACB (Anti-Corruption Bureau) has remained for the namesake," the prime minister said, as he made a volley of charges against the Siddaramaiah government.

Modi listed the five alleged misdeeds of Congress leaders from "Dillipati to Gallipati".

"They are one, one family is everything, nothing beyond that, second - corrupt government, third - crime and atrocities, fourth - farmer distress and fifth - divide the country, society and castes."

"The Congress' panja (claws) with their five prapanch had not only destroyed Karnataka, but also the future of this generation," he said.

Referring to Bengaluru, Modi said political killings were happening openly, girls were not safe even in day time, people are getting killed on the roads filled with potholes, and if it rains for few hours Bengaluru gets inundated, cold water in lakes catches fire and there are long, long traffic jams.

Modi alleged that Siddaramaiah had handed over Bengaluru to a "trio" for the sake of vote bank politics, apparently referring to ministers K J George and Roshan Baig and city MLA N A Harris.

"Who was responsible for the suspicious death of a police officer?....Such a person should have been in jail, but he is in the government. This is Congress' character," Modi said.

He was apparently referring to George over the alleged suicide of a police official who had named him and two other officers before taking the extreme step.

The CBI is probing the case now.

"Second in the trio is one who is expert in land grabbing, one who has made his name 'Roshan' in land grabbing. Will such people do good for Bengaluru. What kind of links he has with Gulf countries, what is the transaction of money," Modi said.

Speaking about the third in the trio, Modi said his son indulges in "goondagiri" every day, in an apparent reference to Harris' son who is in jail for alleged brutal assault of a man in an upscale bar-cum-restaurant recently.

"When the government, party, Karnataka and Bengaluru are in hands of such people, Congress will certainly become triple P. PPP is Punjab, Puducherry and Parivar- Congress. Congress government has not left any stone unturned to defame Bengaluru across the world," he said.

Campaigning in the Lingayat stronghold of Vijayapura, he alleged the state's ruling Congress is trying to divide the society and spread the "poison of casteism".

Addressing an election rally at Sarawad in north Karnataka, Modi dismissed projections and surveys by "those sitting in air conditioned rooms" that the elections would throw up a hung assembly.

Modi made repeated references to the 12th century saint, philosopher and social reformer Basaveshwara to reach out to the Lingayats, the traditional bedrock of the BJP's support base. Lingayats worship Basaveshwara.

"The Congress believes in the policy of divide and rule... divide on the basis of caste and religion....make brother fight brother. But people of this land of Basaveshwara will not allow it to happen," he said.

The state's ruling Congress has recommended religious minority status for the Lingayats, a traditional vote base of the BJP, a move many feel was aimed at splitting their votes.

BJP's chief ministerial candidate Yeddyurappa belongs to the Lingayat community.

Modi said with defeat staring the Congress in the face, it is already busy trying to find excuses.

"The Congress party has stopped thinking about what to tell people, what should be done till election. They are sitting at home and offices trying to find excuses for the impending defeat... They are planning excuses including
blaming EVMs," he said.

Modi said during his election campaign over the last 7-8 days he visited different parts of Karnataka and gathered the impression that "people of Karnataka have not only decided to remove the Congress party from power, but they have also decided to punish them for five years."

"Can you tell me the name of a single minister who is not facing allegations of corruption," he said, a day after Siddaramaiah sent legal notices to Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, threatening to file civil and criminal defamation suit against them for making unsubstantiated allegations against him.

In the Koppala rally, Modi said his government's "mantra is sab ka saat, sab ka vikas (together with all, development for all)," but on the other side there is such a party that "its mantra is one family is their constitution,
one family is their government."

"If they run a government, it is for the family and if they bring down a government, it is also for the family."

"For the sake of power they can go to any level. Divide the country, sects, castes, divide families and create rift between brothers and save their seats. This is their game."

Modi will conclude his campaign with four rallies on Wednesday.