Bengaluru, Feb 4: In his rally to mark the culmination of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) state-wide parivartan yatra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Karnataka would be prove to be yet another state which would reject the "misrule" of the Congress.

In the upcoming elections, Modi said, the Siddaramaiah-led government would face a rout. "The countdown of Congress-mukt Karnataka has already begun. The message from the people is clear," he added.

Modi said development could only be expedited if "there's a BJP government both in the Centre and in Karnataka." The Prime Minister accused the incumbent state government of inefficiently using the amount of funds granted by the central government.

"There are serious allegations of corruption against Congress leaders. Reports are coming about them demanding commission in several projects. I have been told that Karnataka government is being recognised as 10% government as no work is possible without 10% commission," PM Modi told the gathering at Bengaluru's Palace Grounds.

On crime, he blamed the Congress government in Karnataka of turning a blind eye to the "scores of political activists" killed in the state. Modi said the rising "lawlessness in Karnataka" is turning the investors away and creating an unfavourable environment for the local business community.

"While the BJP believes in ease of doing business, the current government in your state believes in ease of doing murder," he added.

Making a poll pitch to the state's farmers, Modi said the Budget presented by the Centre shows the BJP's commitment to the rural sector. "If elected to power, we will provide to you the right amount on the farm produce. We will ensure water for farming round the year by setting up micro-irrigation facilities in all parts of the state," he added.

The Prime Minister, however, made no mention of the Mahadayi water sharing issue with neighbouring Goa, which compelled the farmer groups in North Karnataka to call multiple bandhs last month.

Modi also highlighted the allocation of Rs 17,000 crore in the Union Budget towards developing 160-km of Bengaluru's suburban railway network. "15 lakh commuters of the city will be benefited by it," he claimed.

The election schedule for Karnataka is expected to be released within the next couple of months, with the tenure of the incumbent assembly scheduled to end in May, 2018. Karnataka, along with Punjab, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Puducherry is among the five remaining states being ruled by the Congress.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 04, 2018 05:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).