JP Nadda to release BJP manifesto for K'taka elections tomorrow

BENGALURU: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to release its election manifesto for Karnataka Assembly polls on Monday, said sources.

The manifesto will be released by party president JP Nadda in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and party veteran BS Yediyurappa.

Sources said the party manifesto may focus on welfare measures for the youth, infrastructure development and women empowerment.

Further, to take the first-time voters on board, a special announcement can be made for the youth and girl students who have passed class 12.

In the 2018 election manifesto, BJP touched every section of society.

The party had also included cow protection measures in its manifesto.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing an election rally in Kolar on Sunday, came down heavily on Congress for drawing parallels between him and a snake.

PM Modi said that the people of Karnataka will give the party a "befitting answer" in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in an election rally in Karnataka's Kalaburagi on Thursday, said, "PM Modi is like a 'poisonous snake', you might think it's poison or not. If you lick it, you are dead."

Lashing out at Congress over the remark, PM Modi said, "Today when I am fighting against corruption, Congress is disturbed the most. Congress is now threatening. They say 'Modi teri kabra khudegi'. Congress' topic in Karnataka elections is snake's poison. They are comparing me with a snake and seeking votes from people. For me, the people of the country are a form of Lord Shiva. I accept being the snake on the neck of the god-like public. The people of Karnataka will give them a befitting answer on May 10." PM Modi launched a scathing attack on Congress terming the party as an "outdated engine".

"Congress is an 'outdated engine'. Development halted due to them. Congress has a bundle of fake guarantees. They don't fulfil any promise made to the public. 'Unfulfilled guarantees' are their record. They betrayed the public, but BJP fulfilled all the guarantees by doing several development works," PM Modi said.

Notably, Congress has promised a number of guarantees to the people of Karnataka ahead of the state Assembly polls slated on May 10, including 200 units of free electricity.

The Prime Minister further said that corruption has always prospered under Congress and said that only the BJP can act against corruption.

"Congress has a reputation of 85 per cent commission. People have no faith in their government. One of their Prime Ministers said that he sends Rupee 1 but 15 paise reach the ground. Congress has always done appeasement politics. BJP is not for appeasement but for satisfaction. Congress has always grown under corruption. Only BJP can take immediate action on corruption," he said.

"Congress has done nothing for the farmers. They made promises to them but gave nothing to them. It was BJP who gave Rs 2.5 lakh crore to them (farmers) in their accounts. They always neglected the poor. We are constantly working for the development of the farmers," he added.

Hitting out at Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) which are contesting the elections separately, PM Modi said that both the parties are the "biggest hindrance" in the development work and added that the unstable government cannot have a "vision".

"Unstable governments cannot have a vision. During the Congress regime, the world was hopeless of India, but as soon as BJP came to power, the world now looked up to India as a bright spot. Karnataka has decided to elect BJP. The double-engine government is very important in the state for continuous development. During Congress and JDS rule the development pace slowed down," he said.

PM Modi said that Karnataka has to be saved from the "corrupt government of Congress and JDS".

"Today's gathering will make Congress and JDS lose sleep. Both parties are the biggest hindrance in the process of development. The public has clean-bowled them. We have to save the people of Karnataka from the corrupt government of Congress and JDS," he said.

The Prime Minister has hit the ground to campaign for the BJP in the last leg of the campaigning, in which he is conducting a number of poll rallies and roadshows to turn the tide in favour of the party, in what is expected to be a tripartite contest among BJP, Congress and JDS.

Assembly elections will be held in Karnataka on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13.