Continuing to stress on the need to vote for a stable government, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the people of coastal Karnataka that the BJP wants to make Karnataka a superpower by creating modern infrastructure and by giving a facelift to the manufacturing sector. “It is our roadmap,” he told a mammoth gathering at Mulky, near Mangaluru, in Dakshina Kannada district, on May 3.
Mr. Modi said that India is the 5th largest economy in the world now. The Union Government, led by the BJP, wants to push it further to the 3rd position. The ‘vikas’ (development) of Karnataka matters most for India to emerge as the 3rd largest economy.
“Will you help in achieving it (the third position)? Without the growth of Karnataka. it cannot be achieved,” he told the gathering. “The BJP can give a stable government.”
Highlighting ‘pace of development’ throughout his speech, Mr Modi asked the audience whether Karnataka requires ‘vikas’ and top position in farming, fisheries, health, education and industrial sectors. “If top position is to be achieved, BJP will have to be given a clear mandate,” he said.
Mr Modi said that the BJP has created an eco-system for the promotion of start-ups in India. The country is now highly respected in the United States, Australia, Japan, United Kingdom and other corners of the world because voters strengthened the BJP by giving a majority in Parliament. “That is the power of voting,” he said.
Congress is against peace, development
Continuing his tirade against the Congress, Mr. Modi said, “It (the Congress) is shanti ka dushman, vikas ka dushman (enemy of peace and development.”
He reiterated that the ‘Delhi parivar’ in the Congress wants to use Karnataka as its ATM. The Congress has continued its appeasement policy and politics.
He accused the Congress in Karnataka of withdrawing cases against ‘anti-national’ forces and releasing them from jail. He also accused the Congress of taking help from those forces for these elections.
He accused the Congress of humiliating soldiers and the army.
Warning that the Congress will apply ‘reverse gear’ if elected to power by reversing welfare programmes of the BJP government, the Prime Minister questioned why the Congress-led Union Government did not create a separate ministry for fisheries.
Mr. Modi said that the Congress is seeking votes for a leader (Siddaramaiah) who is retiring.
Karnataka BJP president and Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel and Union Minister for State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shobha Karandlaje were among those who attended the election meeting, along with BJP candidates of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
The Prime Minister later flew to Ankola in Uttara Kannada district to address a public gathering.
