Hubbali: In a stinging attack on the JDS-Congress coalition in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy heading a “helpless” government had become a “punching bag” and mocked opposition efforts to impose the same model on the country.
Addressing a massive rally here in north Karnataka and virtually launching his Lok Sabha campaign, Modi said there was not even a single day “when the country doesn’t see the Natak of the government” as he took potshots at the ruling coalition over turmoil within it for the past few weeks.
“Everyone is involved in saving their seat,” Modi said, adding that for the sake of power “MLAs are fighting at hotels and breaking their heads. Several Congress leaders are fighting for their supremacy.”
Modi’s attack on the coalition government comes amid the politically fluid situation in Karnataka, with BJP allegedly making aggressive attempts to topple the government and both ruling and opposition camps having kept their MLAs in resorts and hotels to stall the poaching bid.
“The chief minister here is everyone’s punching bag. Every day he is getting threatened. His whole energy is spent on saving his seat from big Congress leaders,” Modi said referring to Kumaraswamy, who, facing coalition pressures, has often openly expressed his ‘helplessness.’
“Publicly, he weeps about his helplessness (mazboori). Such a helpless government, such a helpless chief minister who is being challenged by anyone and everyone. Who is the in charge of the government.? There is confusion about it.”
Setting the “mazboor versus mazboot” narrative, Modi said “Karnataka’s helpless model” was being sought to be imposed on the country and scoffed at the efforts of opposition parties to cobble up a “mahaghatbandhan” (grand alliance) against him.
“They want to impose it on the country. Such a helpless model, where the head of the government keeps weeping at the corner and decisions are taken in naamdaar’s palaces…they want confusion and fight for power to continue and the world to laugh at the country,” he said.
Modi’s visit came amid an escalating political war over charges of horse trading with Kumaraswamy releasing the audio clip of a purported conversation of state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa over his alleged bid to lure a JDS MLA through his son.
Yeddyurappa had dismissed the clip as “fake” and a “concocted story”.
“This Pradhan sevak (himself), this chowkidar (ensures) that the benefits meant for poor are going directly to their accounts. That is why the honest have trust on Modi while the corrupt have a problem, Modi said.
“You are witnessing in Delhi who all are falling in line… About whose income people used to fear talking… they are made to make their appearances before court and agencies and answer questions. They are giving an account of their benamiproperties in the country and abroad,” he said, apparently referring to Robert Vadra. Vadra. “Whether it is the ration of the poor of the country, and of poor farmers, or deals relating to defence of the country, whoever has taken commission, their numbers are coming down one after other,” Modi said. (PTI)
