Shimoga (Karnataka) [India] May 7 (ANI): Days ahead of the Karnataka Assembly Election, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that during former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's rule incidents of mob lynching and atrocities on Dalits did not happen.

"When Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister, such incidents of mob lynching did not happen. Such atrocities on Dalits did not happen in his rule. His (Vajpayee's) government did not enter our kitchens and saw what we were cooking," Azad said while addressing an election rally in Shimoga city.

As the Karnataka elections is inching closer, a political slugfest has erupted in the state with the political parties firing a barrage of barbs at each other.

The state has become a battleground and witnessing rallies by various political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief president Amit Shah, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and many more.

The state will go to polls on May 12 to elect its representatives for the 224-member assembly. The results will be out on May 15. (ANI)

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