Karnataka Election LIVE: 25 Congress Leaders from Siddaramaiah's Home Turf to Join JD(S)

"The Congress believes that the country belongs to everyone. We are proud of all the states, their languages, their traditions and their cultures": @RahulGandhi #JanaAashirwadaYatre pic.twitter.com/jmiLoKX203

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) April 4, 2018

Twenty-five Congress leaders from CM Siddaramaiah's Chamundeshwari joined JD(S) in Mysore today. H D Kumaraswamy says he will defeat Siddaramaiah. Meanwhile, speaking on the issue of Lingayats, Ananth Kumar said, "It is only for political benefit that Siddaramaiah is taking up the issue now, it was UPA-led government in 2013, who had denied the special status. Its a u-turn by them for elections."

As four leaders are all set to join the saffron party in Karnataka today, scores of BJP workers are protesting against JD(S)'s Mallikarjuna Khuba and Independent leader Basavanagouda Patil Yatnal joining the party. In Vijayapura, the protesters are saying that they are against Yatnal joining the party as he had spoken against the party and was thrown out earlier. Yatnal has been a two-time BJP MLA and two-time BJP MP earlier. One worker allegedly tried to commit suicide and has been taken to a hospital. Some workers are also protesting outside Bangalore BJP office against Khuba joining the party.

Congress President @RahulGandhi met with workers of unorganised sectors at Davanagere. #JanaAashirwadaYatre #INC4Karnataka pic.twitter.com/POqGL3LBAg

— Congress (@INCIndia) April 4, 2018

Addressing traders in Davangere, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said, "BJP government frames policies to benefit big business. Instead of making GST simple, Modi government complicated it and made it a 'Gabbar Singh Tax'. Congress believes in empowering small and medium businesses and simplifying GST."

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Basavaraj Patil Anwari, said, "I am unhappy with the way Congress high command has treated us. I have defeated Siddaramaiah in 1989 and he is become a top leader, and I'm here. I am really isappointed, and hence joining BJP."

After Amit Shah failed to meet Sri Sri Sri Niranjanananda Puri in Kaginele, BJP's KS Eshwarappa today said, "Party president Amit Shah only wanted to seek blessings of the seers at Kaginele. If one seer wasn't there, he met the others who were there. Congress is spreading rumours about the Kuruba seer not meeting Amit Shah and empty chairs at our event. OBC meet was much more successful than we expected. Following that, for Shah's meet with Veerashaiva lingayat seers, around 150 seers were present. There is no doubt about BJP's victory in the coming elections." On the other hand, the Kuruba seer met Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah, who had arrived before Shah, on Tuesday.

Two JD(S) leaders and one Congress leader will be joining BJP today. The leaders from JD(S) are ex-MLA Mallikarjuna Khuba from Basvakalyan in Bidar and ex union minister Basavaraj Patil Anvari from Gangavathi in Koppal district. The Congress leader, Nagappa Bhimappa Saloni, is also from Gangavathi in Koppal. An MLC from Bijapur city, Basavanagouda Patil Yatnal, is also set to join BJP.

BJP to discuss candidates for 73 seats today, including 28 seats in Bengaluru city. Sources said that the party will finalise everything by April 10. B S Yeddyurappa will chair the meeting.

Rahul Gandhi’s travel programme in Karnataka on April 4

Wednesday, April 4th 

•    10:00 hrs: Meeting with Workers of Unorganised Sectors at Bapuji Guest House, Devangere 

•    10:45 hrs: Meeting with Traders at Bapuji Institute of Engineering & Technology, Devangere

•    12:00 hrs: Public Meeting at Kotra Nanjappa College Ground, Holalkere, District Chitradurga 

•    14:45 hrs: Visit to Siddaganga Mutt at Tumkur

•    15:30 hrs: Reception at Bhadrama Circle to Lakappa Circle, Tumkur  

•    18:00 hrs: Public Meeting at Fort Ground, Magadi, District Ramanagara

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.