Narendra Modi Interacts With BJP Candidates of Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018 on a Live Video Call: Key Takeaways From PM’s Interaction

New Delhi, April 26: As only a few days are left for political parties to campaign for upcoming Karnataka assembly elections to be held on May 12, a tug of war is seen between key parties Congress and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP). Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a live video interaction with his party candidates and party men, where he was again heard attacking the ruling party Congress for playing caste politics.

Modi during interaction ridiculed Congress party's tall poll promise ahead of elections and remarked that it is a 'chunavi lollypop (fake poll promises)' to woo voters. He alleged during elections that the Congress party tries to impress particular caste groups by offering lollypops in which they get busy, but later they forget their claims. Modi's remark comes in wake of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah government recently recommending religious minority status for the Lingayat and its sub-group Veershaiva Lingayat community -- an attempt to divide the Lingayats, vote bank of the BJP in the state.

PM Modi further attacks Congress in his first live video call and urge Kannadigas to vote for BJP for development. Let's check out the key takeaway claims made by PM Modi:

1) Playing to the Kannada sentiment agenda, Modi began his welcome address in Kannada and called himself a Kannadiga in the course of the interaction. "I am a Kannadiga too. I appeal to all our workers to dedicate themselves to the polls. I will also consider myself a Karnataka worker and work for the development of the state," he said.

2) Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressed development as their only agenda. Drawing comparisons between four years of development projects under the Congress-led UPA government and BJP-led NDA government, PM Modi claimed that his government had worked efficiently for the development of Karnataka. Also, he emphasised that there is only a three-pronged agenda for Karnataka development, fast-paced development and all-round development, in his live video interaction.

3) PM Modi took three questions from MLA candidates- Sunil Kumar, Shahikala Jolle and Suresh Kumar during the live video interaction. When Sunil Kumar- an RSS leader-turned-politician greeted PM Modi with traditional RSS line of 'Hari Om', Modi refused to greet back in the same line and asked the candidate to proceed with his question.

4) PM Modi presented numbers to justify his government's claims of working towards the development of Karnataka.He said under four years of UPA regime only Rs 8,700 crore was utilised to build 950 km of roads in Karnataka but under their government, they spent Rs 27,000 crore to build roads of 1,750 km. He also drew comparisons on urban infrastructure, renewable power capacity, LPG connections and toilet construction.

5) PM Modi blamed Congress for stalling development of Karnataka. Meanwhile, he appealed to party workers to reach out to every single voter and not to pay heed to conspiratory ideas of hung assembly. He remarked that the well-wishers of the Congress party are propagating falsehood and talking about hung assembly.

6) PM Modi while answering to Sunil Kumar's question, the candidate of Karkala constituency said "We are not working to win the assembly election neither do we want to win MLA seats. We need to win booths. Those who win booth will win the battle."

7) On farmers welfare, Modi remarked that his government had a plan in place for the farming community. He made a statement that he wants a blue revolution to change the lives of the fishermen. The assurance comes in the backdrop of Karnataka's 300 km underutilised coastline and its influential fishing communities eagerly waiting for government's attention.

During live video interaction, he also talked about Bengaluru's infrastructure development.In response to Suresh Kumar, Rajajinagar constituency candidate, PM said that his government is committed to build the image of Bengaluru as a global city and counter civic issues.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 26, 2018 12:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).