Karnataka Election 2023: Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi for making poll rally about himself, anti-Congress jibes

Asking the Prime Minister to speak about the BJP government's work and future programmes for Karnataka, instead of talking about himself, the former AICC president took a dig at Modi's statement about verbal abuses hurled at him.

Team Newsable

First Published May 1, 2023, 3:10 PM IST

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday (May1) slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his charge that he was "abused 91 times" and said that prime minister should understand that the Karnataka election was not about him.

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"You (Modi) come to campaign in Karnataka for elections, but don't speak about Karnataka. You speak about yourself. You have to say what you did in Karnataka for the past three years. You also have to speak in your speeches about what you will be doing in the next five years, what will do for youth, education, health and to fight corruption," Gandhi said.

Addressing a public meeting in Tumakuru district, Gandhi said, "This election is not about you, it is about Karnataka's people and its future. You say Congress abused you 91 times, but you never speak about what you did for Karnataka. In your next speech, you speak about what you did and what you will do in the next five years."

On Saturday, PM Modi targeted the Congress over its party president M Mallikarjun Kharge's 'venomous snake' barb at him and said till now the party and its leaders had hurled various types of abuses at him 91 times.

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Claiming that when he comes to Karnataka and gives speeches he speaks about his party leaders like Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar and about their work, Gandhi said, "We take the names of all our leaders. You (Modi) come here and don't even take the name of your Chief Minister (Basavaraj Bommai) and (BS) Yediyurappa (former CM). Your speeches are all about Narendra Modi."

"Try taking names of Bommai and Yediyurappa too one or two times, they will feel happy," he said.

Stating that this election was about Karnataka's people, youth and mothers and sisters, Gandhi said, "This election is not about one person, not about Narendra Modi. Prime Minister has to understand this."

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Accusing the BJP of rampant corruption in Karnataka in the past three years and "taking 40 per cent commission in all kinds of work done by the government", Gandhi said that instead of doing work of public good, "they looted from the pockets of the common man and poor".

(With inputs from PTI)

Last Updated May 1, 2023, 3:10 PM IST