BALLARI: AT a time when BJP is facing flak over its association with mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy and his associates, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting mining heartland Ballari on Thursday. BJP leaders hope that Modi’s rally will help shore-up their prospects, while opposition Congress will be keenly watching every development related to the Ballari rally.
Janardhana’s brother and the party candidate from Ballari city Somashekar Reddy has been entrusted with rally preparations. According to the party leaders, around 1,50,000 people will attend the rally at which Somashekar and associates of Janardhana will share the dais with the PM. However, Janardhana is barred from entering Ballari district and the party leadership has reportedly directed him to stay away from openly campaigning for the party candidates.
BJP leaders in the district said the PM’s rally will bring in a lot of changes in the political scenario in the district and also help push long pending developmental works. “We will benefit politically. Many aspiring candidates who were sulking due to denial of tickets have already returned to the party and have started working to ensure victory of the candidates,” said Anil, Hospet taluk BJP president. Leaders, who had distanced themselves from the election work in Hagaaribommanahalli have resumed campaigning, he added.
BJP district unit president Channabasavangouda said the PM’s visit is a much demanded visit from the party cadre. “It will draw a lot of youth towards the party. The visit will strengthen our aim to win all the nine assembly constituencies. We hope that the Prime Minister’s visit will swing at least two per cent votes in our favour,” he said.
BJP leaders are banking on Modi’s appeal among youngsters. “Youngsters in the country like Modi and his visit will definitely be a morale booster to the party cadre in the district,” BJP leader Karthik Ghorpade said.
According to BJP leaders the rally will energise the cadre and even if there are some issues among local leaders, it will help overcome all such issues and work for the party. They hope that it would have an impact on all the nine constituencies.
The entire district stadium, the venue of the Prime Minister’s rally has been decked up for the event. Julie flora bushes have been cleared up to prepare for parking of vehicles. The stadium had been covered with special material to protect people from the heat and seating arrangement has been made for at least 50,000 people.
Yogi, Rajnath, Smriti to intensify BJP’s campaign blitz
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Shobha blasts Congress over stoning of campaign vehicles
Bengaluru: Condemning the stoning of LCD screen-fitted BJP campaign vehicles in Bengaluru, Kolar, Davangere, and Dharwad on Tuesday as an attack on democracy, BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje has accused the Congress of indulging in such acts to stop BJP’s march to victory. “Sensing imminent defeat the Congress party has become desperate. That is why it has indulged in violence. It has lost confidence in democracy. Turning intolerant, Congress is encouraging politics of violence,” Shobha said here on Wednesday. Referring to the Election Commission banning some “objectionable” advertisements issued by the Congress, she said it was a slap on the ruling party. It is pitiable that Congress has nothing positive to offer even after ruling the state for five years, she said. Also, during 2014 general elections, Congress carried out a venomous campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she added.
Congress has always misled farmers, says PM
Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked his party’s Kisan Morcha members to visit every farmer in the state and explain to them the initiatives taken by his government. Interacting with Kisan Morcha members over video conferencing from Delhi, he said his government is committed to ensuring farmers’ income is doubled by 2022 and a BJP government in the state will help achieve that goal. Accusing the Siddarmaiah government of offering only lip sympathy to farmers, Modi said, “I have been told that when a lake had dried up, it was given to a builder. Congress never helped farmers and only misled them.” He, however, did not name the lake that was handed over to a builder. He also accused the state government of not showing keen interest in helping farmers avail the benefit of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.