Karnataka polls: This will be my last election, says Siddaramaiah

As the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 draws closer, top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress leaders are holding back-to-back rallies in the state to boost their respective parties' chances of securing a win in the crucial election. The Karnataka Election Watch and Delhi-based Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Monday analysed affidavits of Karnataka polls candidates, filed with the Election Commission (EC). Of the 2,654 candidates in the fray for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections, at least 883 are crorepatis and 645 have criminal cases against them, said the two watchdogs.

"The average assets of the 883 (35 per cent) crorepati candidates are worth Rs 75.4 million. Of the 645 contestants, 254 (10 per cent) face serious criminal cases and 391 (15 per cent) face criminal cases," revealed the study. Affidavits of all the contesting 223 BJP candidates were analysed. Two hundred and eight (93 per cent) of the 223 candidates in fray from the BJP have declared assets worth over Rs 10 million. Of the 2,654 candidates in the fray for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections, at least 883 are crorepatis and 645 have criminal cases against them - the highest number among all the parties contesting.

A total of 207 (94 per cent) of the 220 candidates from the ruling Congress, 154 (77 per cent) of the 199 candidates from Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and 199 (18 per cent) of the 1,090 Independents have declared assets more than Rs 10 million.

Karnataka poll updates: Manmohan attacks Modi for 'economic mismanagement'

As the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 draws closer, top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress leaders are holding back-to-back rallies in the state to boost their respective parties' chances of securing a win in the crucial election.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, too, joined the Congress election campaign in the state on Monday, addressing a press conference in Bengaluru. Singh attacked the Modi government for its economic policies, saying that the country was facing a crisis that was avoidable.


Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha workers. Addressing Karnataka BJP workers via NaMo app on Monday, the Prime Minister accused the Opposition of being against new technologies promoted by the central government.

Looking to dethrone the Congress-led government in Karnataka, Modi kick-started a series of election rallies in the poll-bound state on May 1, with a total of 21 rallies scheduled. On Sunday, he addressed rallies in Chitradurga, Raichur, Jamakhandi, and Hubli.
As the Karnataka election inches closer, a political slugfest has erupted in the state, with parties firing a barrage of barbs at one another. Gandhi has advised Prime Minister Modi to "copy" and implement at the Centre the Karnataka government's plan for the welfare of Dalits and Adivasis. Modi, for his part, reminded voters that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party chief Rahul Gandhi were out on bail in connection with a Rs 50-billion (Rs 5,000-crore) scam.

Karnataka polls: SC blocks Janardhana Reddy's campaign in Ballari; updates

Karnataka polls: Campaigning by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi crossing swords over a plethora of issues, including corruption. While Modi said the Karnataka government was a "gold medallist" in corruption and that Congress leaders were "drunk on power", Gandhi hit right back accusing the BJP of corruption in Rafale fighter jet deal and protecting fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi. The BJP on Friday released its manifesto for the May 12 polls, promising a plethora of programmes and initiatives for the state's farmers.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also in the poll-bound state, where he took a swipe at the Siddaramaiah government, accusing it of carrying out divisive and corrupt politics. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hit back on Twitter, flaying Adityanath for being in his state for electioneering when 64 people had lost their lives due to a dust storm in Uttar Pradesh.

Further, after the BJP complained to the Election Commission (EC) over what it alleged was the Congress' attempt at playing the "communal card" in the poll-bound state to woo Muslim voters, the Congress on Thursday complained to the EC against the BJP's Karnataka unit for "getting published false and misleading advertisements" in newspapers to malign the public image of Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah.

Karnataka polls: Development over politics for BJP, says Modi via NaMo app

In the run-up to the Karnataka Assembly election on May 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday interacted with the Bharatiya janata Party (BJP) candidates, office bearers, elected representatives and party workers in the poll-bound state through the NaMo app. PM Modi, during the interaction, encouraged those engaged in the Assembly poll campaign in Karnataka and also provided guidance to senior party leaders, MPs, and MLAs.
Meanwhile, Modi expressed his deepest condolences to the victimes of the deadly school van-train collision that took place early this morning in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh. PM Modi ensured that the Uttar Pradesh government and railway department would take appropriate action.

As the Prime Minister began speaking, he fostered the three-pronged agendas of BJP -- development, fast-paced development and all-round development. Modi also raised the issue of caste and religion-based politics, as he said: “Development is not an issue for those who dwell on caste-based politics; they give a lollipop of fake promises to a particular community and then do same with another community in next elections. If you analyse last few elections, you will realise how few political parties have indulged only in dividing societies on religious lines. They exploit emotions of some community before elections and forget them after the elections”, reported ANI.

Rahul Gandhi protest a 'farce', removing Tytler 'admission of guilt': BJP

The BJP came down heavily on the protest led by Rahul Gandhi, calling it a 'farce' aimed at 'burnishing' the Congress chief's political career and to fast-track it. The BJP also said that the Congress' decision to keep the 1984 anti-Sikh riots accused Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler away from the main dais as its "admission of guilt"
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra took a jibe at the opposition party's nation-wide fast against the alleged caste violence and communalism, saying its leaders had come to the Mahatma Gandhi's memorial to talk about non-violence but the presence of Kumar and Tytler exposed the party's "real violent" face.
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre of disturbing social harmony in the country, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday led his party’s nation-wide fast at Raj Ghat in New Delhi. A statement from the party said that Gandhi had directed all party workers across India to observe a fast in their respective states and district headquarters.