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Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi is also set to debut in the party’s campaign for the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections. Gandhi will be addressing a public meeting in Hubbali district on Saturday, sources told news agency ANI.
Furthermore,the Election Commission of India on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s son Priyank for using “abusive language” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP unit in Karnataka on Monday filed a complaint with EC against Priyank for his “nalayak beta (a useless son)” remark against PM Modi.
Meanwhile, the BJP and Congress manifestos have provided much zest to electioneering for the May 10 Karnataka assembly polls, which was initially thought to be a bland battle without much ado. In the past two days, the two manifestos have taken centre stage and it is likely to spur the campaigning till the elections are over.
The documents providing a vision of the two national political parties for the next five years suddenly became the talk of the town like never before.
While the BJP released its “nationalistic” manifesto with a ‘Hindutva hue’ on May 1, Congress made its “secular” manifesto public on May 2. The BJP has called its manifesto ‘Praja Pranalike-2023’ (Citizens’ Manifesto-2023) and the Congress ‘Paradise of peace to all’. Amid the two giants, the JD(S) too brought out its ‘Janata Pranalike’ (People’s Manifesto).
The ruling BJP has promised in its manifesto to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The party also promised to create a special wing in the state called ‘Karnataka State Wing against Religious Fundamentalism and Terror (K-SWIFT).
The Congress was doing well with its five guarantees and the proposed pro-people policies but it stirred up a hornet’s nest by saying in its manifesto that it would ban organisations like the Bajrang Dal and the Popular Front of India that spread hatred.
The Congress said it was committed to taking firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred amongst communities on the grounds of caste and religion.
Since most Bajrang Dal activists are also the cadres of the BJP, the Congress eventually drew the ire of the saffron party in general and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular, who got ammunition to target his rival party.
“The Congress in its manifesto has decided to lock up Lord Hanuman. Initially, they locked up Prabhu Shri Ram (Lord Ram). And now they want to lock up people who say ‘Jai Bajrangbali,” PM Modi said.
The BJP has been projecting Congress as an ‘anti-Hindu’ party. The Prime Minister claimed it was an attempt to lock up ‘Bajrangbali’ and his devotees after “locking up” Lord Rama in Ayodhya till the late 1980s when the door of the temple was opened. He even made a point to chant ‘Jai Bajrangbali’ at the beginning and end of his speech to convey the message that his party stood with the Bajrang Dal.
Amid the row over Congress’s promise to ban Bajrang Dal in its manifesto for Karnataka elections, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje said the ruling party will recite Hanuman Chalisa across Karnataka on Thursday evening.
“Randeep Singh Surjewala has stated that BJP workers do not know how to sing Hanuman Chalisa. I hereby extend an invitation to Randeep Singh Surjewala, Hanuman Chalisa will be recited at 7 pm tomorrow in all parts of the state. Come, listen and see how we recite the Hanuman Chalisa. I request all the people of the state to participate in this program,” Karandlaje said.
There are a total of 224 seats in the Karnataka Assembly and a party needs 113 seats for a majority.
Read all the Latest Politics News and Karnataka Elections 2023 updates here
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