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In his first election rally in poll-bound Karnataka, Adityanath attacked the Congress over religion-based reservation saying that it was against the Constitution. He also claimed that no riots took place in Uttar Pradesh in the past six years due to the strong “double engine government”.
“Congress appeases the Popular Front of India (PFI) and gives religion-based reservation, which is against the Indian Constitution,” Adityanath said during an election rally in the Vokkaliga heartland, the stronghold of JD(S) headed by former prime minister HD Deve Gowda.
He was referring to the four per cent reservation for Muslims under 2B category of the Other Backward Classes, which the BJP government in Karnataka scrapped at the fag end of its tenure saying that religion-based quota has no constitutional backing.
Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra pointed to her brother and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from Parliament and described it a “false case similar to what had happened to Indira Gandhi”. She expressed confidence about emerging victorious with the blessings of god and the people as they were fighting for truth.
“I am coming after offering prayers to Sharada devi (Goddess Sharadamba in Sringeri). There I met Shankaracharya (the present pontiff). He asked me whether Indira Gandhi contested from here or not? I said yes she had contested from Chikkamagaluru. He blessed me. I sought blessings for my brother, he gave the blessings,” Gandhi said after visiting the temple at Sringeri.
Addressing a public meeting organised by the Congress at Balehonnur in the district ahead of May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka, she said, “He (seer) told me that my father (late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi) too had come here, Indira ji too had come here and when Indira ji had come here, it was a time of struggle for her.”
“Today too, it is a time of struggle for my family. In 1978, when Indiraji came here on this ground, it was a time of struggle for her. On that day too, it was raining like this. I believe that this is the blessing of god, as rain is a good omen. So, this is an emotional moment for me, that I am standing before you on the same stage, same ground, and in a similar weather,” she added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to interact with about 50 lakh workers of BJP in Karnataka through virtual mode on Thursday.
A total of 2,613 candidates are in the fray, for 224 seats which will go to polls on May 10. Results will be declared on May 13.
(with inputs from PTI)
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