We are fighting at the booth level and not state elections in Karnataka: PM Modi

BENGALURU: In an interactive meet via video conference on the Narendra Modi application, the Prime Minister said the Karnataka elections are to be fought by the BJP at the booth level and not at the state level.

While responding to a question raised by incumbent BJP Karkala MLA and aspirant for the same seat at the 2018 elections V Sunil Kumar, who sought for Modi’s guidance in “not so fluent” Hindi, the PM said: “We have to understand that our core strength, which no other political party has in the entire world, is our organisation. The elections in Karnataka are to be fought at the booth level and not at the state level. If you have 250 booths in your constituency, then identify those booths which you will win and deploy your resources and our party workers in those booths. The results will reflect automatically with a resounding victory for you,” said Modi.

He urged the state BJP unit to deploy as many women workers as there are men booth level workers in every constituency.

“When you have 10 men booth level workers, deploy equal number of women party workers at the booth. And then divide the families in each of these booths to the individual party worker. The connect by these booth level workers with the families over the next 15 days, with whom he or she will interact, will translate into votes for the party,” he said, emphasising the importance of women workers to bring the female voters to the BJP fold.

In another quick interaction with Nippani MLA Shashikala Anna Saheb Jolle, Modi was impressed with the lotus symbol pinned to her saree and said it reflected same symbol which was pinned to his waistcoat.

“By the end of campaigning, I expect the Lotus symbol will be pinned to all the voters in Karnataka,” he said with confidence.

Responding to Jolle’s question on what will be the narrative of the party to address the farmers concerns in the state, if BJP comes to power, Modi said that the biggest poll plank is the prime minister crop insurance scheme.

“Moreover, we will also implement the unique scheme executed by our Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who has increased the minimum purchase quantity by the government by 10 times for specific agriculture products,” he said.

Modi emphasised on increasing the production of sandalwood, which is native to Karnataka.

“I know for a fact that Australia, in fact, took samples of sandalwood from Karnataka, while previous governments were sleeping, and used it to create an entire forest of sandalwood in their country. Sandalwood is priced heavily in the international market and we need to exploit it by giving more impetus to it,” he said.