Karnataka Election 2023: Entering the fray for the first time in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi Addressed an election meeting in Hubballi on Saturday (May 6), where he attacked the ruling party and said that neither Karnataka nor the country can progress without ending the atmosphere of BJP’s loot and hatred. He also accused the BJP of taking the country on the “path of destruction”.
In his first election rally in Karnataka, the Congress leader said that the BJP got upset under his son’s leadership Rahul Gandhi As it was done a few months ago against “hate mongers” and was the reason why lakhs of people joined Rahul Gandhi’s 4,000 km march.
‘Bharat Jodo Yatra got upset BJP’
He said, “Bharat Jodo Yatra was done against those people who do only one thing which is to spread hatred. Such people can never bring any development in Karnataka. Bharat Jodo Yatra got BJP upset. Doesn’t answer the question.” They think that democratic principles are in their pocket. Is that how democracy works?” He said.
‘Karnataka can’t progress without BJP’s loot, hatred’
“Neither Karnataka nor India can progress without getting rid of the BJP’s atmosphere of plunder, lies, arrogance and hatred,” Gandhi said at his first public rally in the poll-bound state. said the former Congress president. : “It is everyone’s responsibility to strengthen our voice against the dark rule of this (BJP) government.”
He was accompanied on the dais by Congress president M Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and former Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who recently quit the BJP and joined the party after being denied a ticket. The party has fielded Shettar, a six-time MLA, from the Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency, from where he won the last assembly election in 2018.
Gandhi said people have seen how upset the BJP is in this election, due to which it has resorted to all kinds of repression. “Don’t you think dacoity has become the business of those in power? You didn’t give them power in 2018, but they looted the government and captured it. Then, their 40 per cent commission is busy looting the government. Gone,” she alleged.
BJP leaders are “arrogant”
Accusing BJP leaders of being ‘arrogant’, he said they neither respond to any question nor to any letter addressed to them. Gandhi made an indirect reference to the letter written by the association of contractors in Karnataka to the prime minister about taking 40 per cent commission from them for public works in the state.
“They (BJP leaders) are not bothered about accountability. They feel that they have pocketed all the constitutional institutions. I want to ask you whether you have ever seen such arbitrariness. Is this how democracy works? No,” said Gandhi.
According to him, the situation today is such that BJP leaders openly threaten that the state will not get Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “blessings” if his party does not win the Karnataka elections.
‘People of Karnataka believe in hard work’
Referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement at an election rally that there would be riots in Karnataka if the Congress came to power in the state, Gandhi, without naming him, said: “They say if the BJP loses, there will be riots.” Will be.” I would like to ask them on your behalf not to consider the people of Karnataka as powerless and helpless.” He underlined that the people of the state do not depend on anybody’s blessings but rely on their own hard work and firm decisions.
He said, “The people of Karnataka are not cowards and greedy so that you can provoke them.
The people of Karnataka will tell you on May 10 what they are made of. Gandhi also raised the issue of Karnataka Milk Federation’s alleged attempt to merge the Nandini brand with Gujarat-based Amul.
“Now is the time to tell them (BJP) that they will not succeed here in their conspiracy to loot a good institution like Nandini (Karnataka Milk Federation’s co-operative dairy brand) by ignoring the interests of lakhs of farmers and milk producers,” he said. Will be.” Said.
‘Don’t lead the state and the country on the path of destruction’
Gandhi also appealed to the people to remind those in power that the fate of leaders is determined by the blessings of the people and not the other way around. Invoking the name of 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara, he said that ‘Lord Basavanna’ was always in favor of giving equal opportunities to all without any discrimination.
Gandhi said the BJP was insulting the great Kannada poet Kuvempu and cautioned them against “playing with India’s history and centuries-old tradition of social justice”. “Don’t push the country and Karnataka towards destruction to fulfill your (BJP) political interests,” the Congress leader said.
(with inputs from agencies)