Bangalore, Apr 28: Narendra Modi arrived in Bangalore to campaign for his party for the first time before the state decides on May 5 whether it will return the BJP to power.
Mr Modi played to type, focusing much of his speech against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the top two leaders of the Congress party.
He didn't name them, but Mr Modi targeted Rahul Gandhi who said recently that his mother had warned him that "power is poison."
"No son disobeys his mother but in Congress, the mother is continuously saying 'power is poison' and the son is campaigning in Karnataka saying 'give us power.' Whom do we believe?" he asked.
Mr Modi also targeted Mr Gandhi, 43, who was recently anointed Vice President of the Congress, making him second in the party's hierarchy, second only to his mother.
"I challenge Congress, I challenge Congress leaders born with golden spoons to compare a five-year-term of Congress and a five-year-term of BJP... BJP will emerge victorious," Mr Modi said.
Mr Modi's rhetoric was familiar, as his star power was on display as thousands of people in the rally at south Bangalore chanted his name during speeches by other leaders who preceded him. Mr Modi had to frequently urge the crowd to let the others speak.
But the fact is that Mr Modi knows that Karnataka is going to be a tough battle for his party, whose term in power had been splattered with corruption and insidious infighting. Therefore, sources close to him say he doesn't want to be too closely associated with the campaign that could be unsuccessful. Since his re-election as Gujarat chief minister in December, Mr Modi has been vying for his party's prime ministerial nomination.
If the BJP loses Karnataka, despite his appearances there, his image as an indisputable vote-getter could be dented.
Following are the highlights of his speech:
- Situation in Karnataka is same as it was in Gujarat when I was elected. I had faith in people of Gujarat, I have faith in Karnataka's people as well
- People who want good for Karnataka will vote for BJP
- And now how can one make the mistake of voting for Congress
- If a daughter of yours in unhappy in her husband's house will you marry another of your daughter in the same family?
- We gave Delhi to Congress, can't make the mistake of giving Karnataka to them
- Government promised to control inflation in 10 days but that didn't happen. You can't believe what Congress says
- Congress had a big meeting in Japiur, the Pink City. They thought they'll come out pink from the Pink City (Gulaabi sehar se woh gulaabi hoke nikalenge)
- Congress had said they won't give tickets to criminals. Can Congress guarantee that no criminal has been given a ticket in Karnataka?
- If BJP commits a mistake, we are ready to accept it and fall at janata's feet for apology. We don't run a business like Congress
- No son disobeys his mother but in Congress, the mother is continuously saying 'Power is Poison' and the son is campaigning in Karnataka saying 'Give us power' . Whom do we believe?
- To complete what the mother said I would like to say, Congress' power is the poison that has destroyed the nation. They are the ones who have spread the poison of communalism
- I challenge Congress, I challenge Congress leaders born with golden spoons to compare a five-year-term of Congress and a five-year-term of BJP... BJP will emerge victorious
- Karnataka Congress was cursing BJP here, they were misleading people and at the same time Congress government in Centre gave two awards to Karnataka government for their work in the state
- Every year government of India gives awards to states for their work. Seven awards are given. None of the awards this year went to state with Congress government
- (On Sarabjit Singh) What has the government been able to do, it has only been able to send his family to Pakistan. Nothing else
- (On 2G scam) If you start writing the scam amount on the road, the amount of 1 lakh 76 thousand crores, the last zero will end at 10 Janpath. The amount is that big
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