As campaign ends, Rahul says Congress is a picture of unity

On the last day of campaigning in Karnataka on Thursday, the Congress put up a face of unity and said the BJP had nothing to offer the State.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru with top Congress leaders by his side, party President Rahul Gandhi, stressed on unity and said the Grand Old Party was certain to retain power in the State.

Rahul said he had learned a lot from the people of the State and asserted that the Congress’ campaign was on fundamental issues. “We all stood together, completely united,” he said.

He claimed that while the Congress presented a vision for Karnataka, the BJP leaders restricted themselves to personal attacks against him, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the party’s leader in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge.

‘Rafale helped Modi’s friends’

The Congress’ manifesto was prepared after consultations with cross-section of society, but the BJP’s poll document was drawn up inside closed doors and lacked seriousness.

The Amethi MP accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of corruption, even in defence deals. He said the Rafale deal was good for Modi and his businessmen friends and added that thousands of jobs would have come to Karnataka through Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) had the Rafale deal been inked as per the contract negotiated by the UPA.

“It is an absolutely smashing deal for Modi and you can see the effects of it in the amount of money being thrown around in the State (for the the elections),” he said.

Rahul said the BJP was dependent on the Reddy brothers, who had “looted” the State of ₹35,000 crore. The BJP had projected BS Yeddyurappa as their chief ministerial nominee, while the Congress’ face, Siddaramaiah, had “a clean image”.

‘Rapes are a political issue’

The Congress President said his party would continue to raise issues of Dalits and Adivasis as it was their duty to do so. “Modi did not say a word when Rohit Vemula was killed and Dalits are attacked in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.”

He maintained that the atrocities against women is a political issue. “It is a national issue…It’s absolutely a political issue, a fundamental issue. Modi likes to discuss things like sea plane, bullet trains…But he doesn’t address any of the fundamental issues of Karnataka.”

‘Modi sees me as a threat’

He said Modi sees him as a threat. “I have now learnt to deal with the prime minister. When he can’t respond, he distracts,” he added.

On Modi’s attack on his mother Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origins, Rahul said she had sacrificed her life for the country. “My mother is an Italian. She has lived the larger part of her life in India. She is more Indian than many, many Indians I have seen,” he said.“She has sacrificed her life for the country, she has suffered for the country. When Modi makes such comments, it shows the quality of the man. I am happy if he enjoys making such comments, he is welcome,” he said.

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