Karnataka Election LIVE: Rahul Gandhi to Address Rallies in Lingayat, Dalit Dominated Areas Today

The current MLA of Chamundeshwari GT Deve Gowda is a strong leader in Mysore district and former PM H D Deve Gowda is working on a strategy to reduce the winning chances of his one-time "shishya" Siddaramaiah.

Rahul Gandhi will today meet block Congress presidents in Davanagere and will then hold public meetings in Lingayat and Dalits dominated area of Chitradurga district's Holalkere. Gandhi will then fly to Tumkur to meet 111-year-old revered Lingayat seer Shivakumara Swamy at Siddaganga Mutt.

The BJP has said that the Kuruba seer deciding to not meet Amit Shah was his prerogative. “The mutt was informed about Shah's visit, however, he (Niranjananda Puri Swamiji) chose not to be there at that time. That is his prerogative. Shah met with the junior pontiffs instead and carried on with his programme,” S Prakash, BJP spokesperson said. The Kuruba seer at the Shivayogi Mutt in Badami in the Bagalkot district, however, did meet Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah after Shah left.

In a clear indication that the central government may not approve Karnataka government’s recommendation of minority religion status to Lingayats, BJP chief Amit Shah said “we will not allow division of veerashaiva - lingayat communities.” Shah was meeting over a 100 Veerashaiva seers at the Shivayoga Mandir in Bagalkote. “Do not worry seers…we will not allow the use of religion for politics. I am not here to do politics. I am here to take your blessings,” he told them.

Amit Shah, who is in Karnataka, was unable to meet the Kuruba seer at the Shivayogi Mutt in Badami in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka on Tuesday but after he left, the seer welcomed Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah. Kuruba is the community that Siddaramaiah hails from. Shah was also met by another disappointment at his public meeting with OBCs in Kaginele town in Haveri as he was greeted by empty chairs.

The Income tax department is seeking the active cooperation of all citizens to ensure clean elections in Karnataka and has set up a 24/7 helpline to keep a track of money exchange during elections. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the department said that in accordance with the mandate given by the Election Commission of India, Income Tax Department is taking proactive steps to ensure clean elections to the Karnataka state Assembly by monitoring and controlling the role of money power. Anyone having reliable and valid information on this aspect may share it on the following telephone number/fax/mail ID:

Toll free No.:                             18004252115

Telephone No.:                           08022861126

Fax No. :                                  08022866916

Mobile Nos.:                             8277413614/8277422825

Email:                                       cleankarnatakaelection@incometax.gov.in

Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "not uttering a word" on the alleged atrocities on Dalits and tribals and "dilution" of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. His remarks at a public meeting in Shivamogga on the fifth leg of his tour of the poll-bound Karnataka came against the backdrop of violence in northern parts of the country during Monday's protests against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. "Rohit Vemula is murdered. Dalits are beaten up in Una (Gujarat) but the Prime Minister does not speak a word on it. Atrocities on Dalits and tribals are increasing and the SC/ST act has been diluted. Modi prefers not to speak a word," he said. Gandhi compared the status of SC/ST welfare in Karnataka with the Modi government's actions on the issue. He claimed that more than half of the money released by the Modi government across the country for SC/ST welfare was being spent by Karnataka itself on the Dalits and tribals.

After Amit Shah's public disowning of Bellary Reddy brothers, Janardhana Reddy holds an emergency meeting of his close aides. He is likely to field his younger brother Somashekara Reddy from Bellary City as an Independent.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi was welcomed in Shimoga amid huge gathering. Addressing people in B S Yeddyurappa's hometown, Gandhi called BSY a jail bird and said that PM Modi is promoting corrupt people like Yeddyurappa. "There have been a series of scams after Modi came to power. From Modi to Shah, every one in their party is promoting scamsters. Modi has now stopped talking about corruption. Jaitley's daughter works for Nirav Modi," he said, adding that Congress will defeat BJP in Shimoga.

JD(S) state chief HD Kumaraswamy, during a public meeting in Hassan, said that he is confident of his father's victory on May 18. "On H D Deve Gowda's birthday, my party will come to power. This is the truth. I did not misuse the government for the elections. The government today is spending government money for this. Only two seats will be contested from my family. My father believes he can be the one who can understand the pain of people. Therefore, people wish to see him as the CM," he said.

DVS Gowda wants Congress to declare their CM candidate, asks party president Rahul Gandhi to make it clear. "Kharge's son has declared that his father would be the CM and Siddaramaiah is a self-declared candidate. Rahul Gandhi should make it clear," he said.

ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಅಭ್ಯರ್ಥಿ ಬಿ ಜೆ ಪಿ ಘಂಟಾ ಘೋಷವಾಗಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಬಿ ಎಸ ಯೆಡಿಯೂರಪ್ಪ .ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಮನೆಯೊಂದು ಮೂರು ಬಾಗಿಲು ಶ್ರೀ ಪರಮೇಶ್ವರ - ಮೊದಲ ಬಾಗಿಲಲ್ಲಿ ಎಡವಿ ಬಿದ್ದರು
ಶ್ರೀ ಮಲ್ಲಿಕಾರ್ಜುನ ಖರ್ಗೆ - ಮಗನಿಂದ ಘೋಷಣೆ
ಶ್ರೀ ಸಿದ್ದರಾಮೈಯ್ಯ - ಸ್ವಯಂ ಘೋಷಿತ
ನಿಜ ಹೇಳಿ ರಾಹುಲ್ #Nijahelirahul
ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಅಭ್ಯರ್ಥಿ ಯಾರು ?

— Sadananda Gowda (@DVSBJP) April 3, 2018

Congress president Rahul Gandhi announces his schedule on Twitter, says he's continuing party's Jana Ashirwad Yatre.

I am in Karnataka for the next two days, continuing our #JanaAashirwadaYatre. This morning I will be in Shimoga. I will also address a public meeting in Davanagere at 5:30 pm.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 3, 2018

BJP National President Shri @AmitShah will address public programs today in Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/kwPhQoPDMa

— BJP (@BJP4India) April 3, 2018

Siddaramaiah asks Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he cares about the middle class and poor.

When crude oil price was above $100/barrel before 2014, the BJP was protesting against high Petrol/Diesel prices. Since 2014, crude prices have fallen: now the price is $68/barrel. Yet, why do Petrol/Diesel prices in India keep rising?

Does PM care for the middle classes & poor? pic.twitter.com/c1wCxVXpoL

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 3, 2018

CM Siddaramaiah has been rushed Vikram hospital for acidity-related problem after he complained of uneasiness. Sources close to him say that he is fine and going through routine check up. Power minister and state campaign committee chairman D K Shivakumar immediately left to meet the chief minister.

Don't you get it Mr. Shah, Karnataka is rejecting you & the BJP.

During his trips, #ShahOfLies displayed his characteristic arrogance, angering Farmers, Dalits & humiliating Yeddyurappa. pic.twitter.com/6uHEOz3R4g

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) April 2, 2018

ಚಾಮುಂಡೇಶ್ವರಿ ವಿಧಾನಸಭೆ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಇಂದಿನ ಭರ್ಜರಿ ಪ್ರಚಾರದ ನಡುವೆ ಹಾರೋಹಳ್ಳಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಡಾ. ಬಿ.ಆರ್. ಅಂಬೇಡ್ಕರ್ ಅವರ ಪ್ರತಿಮೆಗೆ ಮಾಲಾರ್ಪಣೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಗ್ರಾಮ ದೇವತೆ ಮಾರಮ್ಮ ದೇವಾಲಯಕ್ಕೆ ತೆರಳಿ ಪೂಜೆ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿದೆ. pic.twitter.com/ChpWOfZIRK

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 2, 2018

Amit Shah will also visit Vijayapura in Badami district, where he will interact with seers. Vijayapura also has a substantial Lingayat population. Earlier, Siddaramaiah had renamed a women's university in Vijayapura after Lingayat saint Akka Mahadevi. Vijayapura is also the region of Water Resources Minister M B Patil, who had steered Lingayat religion campaign in Congress government. Seers from different communities are likely to participate in the meeting held by Shah.

The Congress president will travel to Shivamogga, Davangere, Chitradurga, Tumakuru and Ramanagar district on April 3 and 4 in his fifth round of campaigning in poll-bound Karnataka.

Rahul on Two-day Karnataka Tour: Congress president Rahul Gandhi will embark on a two-day extensive election campaign in Karnataka from Tuesday with his itinerary including places covered recently by BJP national president Amit Shah. Rahul will travel to Shivamogga, Davangere, Chitradurga, Tumakuru and Ramanagar district on April 3 and 4 in his fifth round of campaigning in poll-bound Karnataka.

Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy dismissed as "baseless" Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's claims that the law and order situation had deteriorated and there was a steep rise in farmer suicides in the state. Prasad had said while releasing the state BJP's "chargesheet" against the Congress government on Sunday that there was a three-fold increase in crimes in Karnataka and a rise in the number of farmer committing suicide in the last three years. Reddy said between 2008 and 2013, when the BJP ruled the state, the number of criminal cases registered was 1,12,213 whereas 1,13,939 such cases were reported from May 2013 to February 2018.

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda urged voters to bring back JD(S) in all seven assembly seats of Hassan. He said, "Karnataka chief minister Siddaramiah and Congress president Rahul Gandhi have said that they will defeat my entire family in this election. The lakhs of people gathered here are testimony to the fact that that is impossible..."

The JD(S) organised a mammoth public meeting in Deve Gowda's family bastion Hassan on Monday evening. Addressing the rally, former chief minister of Karnataka and JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy said that he is confident of taking oath as CM on May 18 on the occasion of his father's birthday. "My brother HD Revanna and I will rebuild the glory of Vijayanagar empire here," Kumaraswamy added.

Launching a political offensive against BJP chief Amit Shah, Karnataka Congress on Monday said that Shah has "angered farmers, Dalits and insulted Yeddyurappa". Hours after the BJP chief postponed his two-day visit to Karnataka in the wake of Dalit protests, Congress took to Twitter and said: Don't you get it Mr. Shah, Karnataka is rejecting you & the BJP."

After heavy rain subsides, JD(S)'s mega public meeting begins in Hassan. They are behind schedule by two hours.

Congress corporator from Mangalore Pratibha Kulai has filed a police complaint against union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, BS Yeddyurappa and MP Shobha Karandlaje for using her picture in Karnataka BJP's charge sheet against the Congress government in the state. The BJP had on Sunday brought out three booklets, listing the Siddaramaiah administrations's alleged failures on law and order, agriculture and ignoring Bengaluru. Instead of Manjula Narayanaswamy's image, corporator Kulai's photo was printed in the BJP charge sheet.

The Election Commission has invited application form citizens to register themselves as voters ahead of Karnataka polls. The closing date for submission of applications is April 14, 2018. In this regard, the EC has decided to launch a special drive on April 8 at all polling stations in the state aimed at providing opportunity for women, people with disabilities, primitive tribes and all weaker sections of the society.

The Election Commission has constituted 1156 Flying Squads and 1255 Static Surveillance Teams to enforce the Model Code of Conduct in Karnataka. The EC squads removed several posters, publicity materials and filed 1 FIR against use of loudspeaker, 3 FIRs against holding illegal meetings and 7 FIRs against inducement and gratification to electors, the EC statement said. According to the statement, the EC squads seized Rs 8,56,850/, seized items like 96 cookers, 550 sarees, 38 sewing machines, 5 vehicles, 3 litres of liquor under Model Code of Conduct violation in last 24 hours. Cumulatively, the EC squads seized Rs 1,21,47,570 cash, 139 litres of liquor, 568 sarees, 2 kg 464 gms of gold worth Rs 49,17,000/-, 160 laptops and 8 vehicles.

The Election Commission on Monday issued a statement on cash, gold, sarees and liqour seized til date in poll-bound Karnataka.

Speaking on the code of conduct issue, senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi on Monday said the Chief Election Commissioner has promised to look into the matter at the earliest after Congress leaders asked him to prohibit such activities in Karnataka till May 12.