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If you think that the Bharatiya Janata Party has been trying to emulate the Gujarat model in Karnataka, then here is the perfect example. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to hold one of Karnataka’s longest roadshows undertaken by a PM in an election-bound state outside of Gujarat: 37 kilometres spanning over 17 crucial Bengaluru city assembly constituencies on Saturday.
Modi had done a 50-km, three-hour-long roadshow, across 13 constituencies in Gujarat when the state went to polls in December 2022.
With just a week to go before Karnataka seals the political fate of the three major parties — BJP, Congress, and Janata Dal (Secular) — on May 10, this massive outreach by the PM is expected to boost the prospects of the party, which has as of today 15 seats in Bengaluru city. The Congress has 12 and the JD(S) one MLA. After the 2018 assembly polls, the BJP had won 12 seats, the Congress 14, and JD(S) 2, but with the so-called Operation Kamala being executed to gain support and form the government, three city MLAs switched to the BJP.
Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya told News18 that this massive roadshow will bring PM Modi up close and personal with the people of Bengaluru city. Surya said that the PM will cover 17 assembly seats in Bengaluru and this will also help the BJP in more than 20 seats in the city. Bengaluru comprises 28 assembly seats.
“There are millions of admirers and fans of the Prime Minister who would like to see him up close. This is a great opportunity for all of us. The PM is coming just a kilometre away from our homes to seek the blessings of the people of Bengaluru. Through this roadshow, covering 17 constituencies, the BJP will get more than 20 seats,” Surya said.
Senior BJP leader and Bangalore Central MP PC Mohan, who is working closely with the arrangements for this massive roadshow, said that this move by the party is to ensure that the slight nudge that the BJP needs to sweep the city seats will be provided by Modi’s rallies and his connection with the people of Bengaluru.
“A lot of development has been done in Bengaluru and we have showcased it in our budgets as well as the launches of important projects like Vande Bharat, Metro services, etc. We are sure that Bengaluru will shower its love on Modi and the BJP with its votes,” he said.
A senior BJP state leader also revealed that the PM coming to a voter’s doorstep and sharing a cup of chai may be in the works.
“Don’t be surprised if Modiji suddenly comes to your home and spends a few minutes with you. This is unprecedented, but he is the most beloved PM as well. This is true to the slogan ‘Ghar ghar Modi’,” said the BJP leader.
Bengaluru is a prestige battle for the BJP which is hoping to use Modi’s charisma to charm the city voter in its favour. The BJP has faced a severe backlash due to civic and infrastructural woes like flooding, traffic jams, depleting lakes, concretisation, potholes, and connectivity issues and hopes that the Modi connect will help it tide over this election smoothly.
In Gujarat, the PM’s roadshow was seen as the biggest event, which began in Naroda Gam, known to be the epicentre of the 2002 riots, which was the aftermath of the Sabarmati Express burning in Godhra.
In Bengaluru, Modi will begin his roadshow from the CV Raman Nagar Constituency at 11 am opposite the HAL main gate on Suranjan Das Road. He will then travel through the assembly seats of Mahadevapura, KR Puram, Shivajinagar, and Shantinagar, only to break for a quick south Indian lunch. He is expected to resume the roadshow and move toward the BJP stronghold of Bangalore South, Bommanahalli, BTM Layout, Jayanagar, Padmanabhanagar, Basavanagudi, Chickpet, Chamarajpet, Gandhinagar, Vijayanagara, Govindarajanagar, Rajajinagar, Mahalakshmi Layout, and finally Malleswaram where the BJP state headquarters is located.
The police too have been asked to ensure that Bengaluru does not get choked due to the VIP movement as happened on April 29 when commuters were stranded for several hours on the road.
Read all the Latest Politics News and Karnataka Elections 2023 updates here
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