PM fulsome praise of Deve Gowda ignites Team B buzz
Prime Minister Narendra Modi caused a flutter in political circles in Karnataka by hailing JD(S) leader Deve Gowda as one of the “tallest” in the country. At the same time, he hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for "insulting" Gowda, saying it showed his "arrogance."
Modi’s remarks assume significance as they come after most pollsters have predicted a fractured verdict in the Assembly elections. JD(S) state unit chief H D Kumaraswamy had earlier claimed he would be the king after the polls and not the king maker.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has often accused the BJP and JD(S) of having a tacit understanding, and even claimed that Kumaraswamy had met the saffron party chief Amit Shah, a charge dismissed by the JD(S). The speculation has been re-ignited by Modi’s wholesome praise of the senior Gowda.
In all fairness, Deve Gowda told a TV channel after the remarks were made that he and his family would disown Kumaraswamy if he joins hands with the BJP.
Speaking about the respect he has for the former prime minister, Modi referred to Deve Gowda as "the son of this land, and a farmer’s son". "Whenever he comes to meet me in Delhi, I make it a point to receive him at the entrance of my home...open the door of the car for him. I also see him off up to his car," he said. Modi
said he does so in spite of the fact that their ideologies are different and Deve Gowda’s party votes against his government in Parliament.
EASE OF DOING MURDER: PM Modi was firing on all cylinders on Tuesday, accusing the Congress government in Karnataka of initiating a culture of "ease of doing murder", just as his government is working on "ease of doing business."
He also said it is time to realise Mahatma Gandhi's dream to phase out the Congress from the country. "Politics of crime needs to be eradicated," said Modi.
In his inaugural speech, Modi also dared the Congress president to speak on Siddaramaiah government's achievements in Karnataka for 15 minutes, without referring to a written speech.
The dare comes in response to Rahul Gandhi's challenge to the Prime Minister for a 15-minute debate in Parliament. "He said that if I speak for 15 minutes in Parliament, then Modi won't be able to sit. The fact that he will speak for 15 minutes is a big deal," Modi said while addressing an election rally in Santhemarahalli.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi as "naamdaar", Narendra Modi said that "we are kaamdaars". "What is our level that we can sit with people like the Congress president, who look down upon us," Modi said, launching a personal attack on Gandhi.
He also accused the successive Congress governments at the Centre of allowing a handful of people to "loot" banks while denying loans to the poor.
While slamming Gandhi, he asked him also to pronounce the word Visveswaraya five times, apparently taking a swipe at the Congress leader who struggled to pronounce the legendary engineer-scholar's name at a public rally.
Attacking "dynastic politics" in the Congress, Modi took a dig at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for contesting from two seats and fielding his son in another. He termed it as the Kannada version of Congress' family politics.
"For the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) the rule is '2+1'. He will contest from two seats and has given his old seat (Varuna in Mysuru) to his son (Yathindra) and for the other ministers (in the state cabinet) the rule seems to be '1+1', allowing their relatives to fight polls.
"For the Congress, it has always been about family politics. But for us (BJP), it is about people's politics. People of the state will decide which kind of politics they will choose (in the upcoming election)," Modi said.
On the issue of development, Modi said that the Congress is known for delaying projects. "Congress ka kaam hai atkaana, bhatkaana, latkaana," the Prime Minister said.