Karnataka Election 2018 LIVE: Rahul Gandhi Talked About China, Pakistan Not Ground Issues, Says BJP

BJP national president Amit Shah holds roadshow in CM Siddaramaiah's turf of Badami.

LIVE : Shri @AmitShah's roadshow in Badami constituency, Karnataka. #SarkaraBadalisiBJPGellisi https://t.co/seY6c1N6Qw

— BJP (@BJP4India) May 10, 2018

"Sonia Gandhi has categorically opposed Karnataka getting water in Mahadayi river dispute. They are dividing a community ahead of the elections and then opposing the elevation of a Lingayat to the post of CM. That man, who is not even an MLA, is talking about being 'imaandaar'. This was a press conference discussing issues of China and Pakistan without directly addressing the issues of Karnataka," says Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, while calling Rahul Gandhi's conference an "utter failure".

Unperturbed by BJP's carpet bombing on the last day of campaigning, Rahul said that it showed BJP's nervousness.

This election season, Mangalore is fighting more than just a political battle. Some in this port city are also trying to fight the 'pub attack' stigma attached to their home town.

"This is an election between two ideologies. On one hand, we have RSS which believes in one concept of nation and says that everyone must submit to it. On the other side, there is diversity and appreciation for it," said Rahul Gandhi.

This is the story of a BJP legislature, who got a call from his party on May 4 and was asked to live translate PM's speech from Hindi to Kannada.

"It's insulting when the prime minister comes here to talk about me. But I won't let the PM divert issues. I have learnt how to handle him. I would expect the PM to talk about ways to help Karnataka farmers," Rahul Gandhi said, adding that the Congress has done good so far and will work towards it aggressively, such that the "world with will stand up and notice it".

The Congress chief said the central challenge is to give jobs to youngsters. Rahul Gandhi also attacked the BJP government’s non-existent foreign policy. “China is also a rising power. We are in an environment where we have to get foreign policy right. Disaster being created on the foreign policy side,” he added.

"BJP is in a panic mode as Congress will win heads down. There's one outcome to the polls and that is Congress's win. Institution after institution are being attacked by RSS. RSS is trying to decimate Kannada pride," says Gandhi.

On being asked about PM Modi attacking Sonia Gandhi over her Italian origin, Rahul said, "My mother is more Indian than many Indian people. My mother has sacrificed for this country, she has suffered for this country."

"Many years ago, Buddha was sitting under a tree. He was abused by people but he said nothing. I attract his anger, but his anger is his (PM's) problem," says Gandhi.

"There is a difference between helping a community empower themselves and crushing a community. What BJP is doing with Dalits and minorities is crushing and killing them," says Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal. “The deal was good only for the PM and his coterie, his businessmen friends who have never built an aeroplane in their life,” said the Congress chief.

Siddaramaiah expressed hope that people will give their “ashirvaad” to his government. He said there was no anti-incumbency. The CM also made it clear that his party, Congress, was fighting this election on development.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused BJP of only making personal attacks and lacking a vision for Karnataka. Rahul said the Congress fought the campaign on fundamental issues, but the BJP failed to tell the people of the state what it will do for them.

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah tweeted that people of Karnataka will answer on May 12 whether "the son of a cattle grazer can stop Modi in South India".

People of Karnataka will answer that question on 12th May.

And they will do so decisively.

I am often told history is against me as no sitting govt in Karnataka has been re-elected in a long time.

But we are here to create history & not to obey it.https://t.co/qRfSg276Q7

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 10, 2018

"Congress has no place for Dalits and backward classes. History has been witness to how Congress has insulted Dr Ambedkar. Be it 1982 Lok Sabha elections or Lok Sabha bye-elections later on, Congress did not leave any opportunity to discourage him and that's the reason he had to face such humiliation despite such great work. I want Congress to tell me at least one instance where they have done something for Baba Saheb. Today is the last day of campaigning, I know you have to do door-to-door campaigning. But you must tell people about what all Congress has done," PM Modi says.

"B R Ambedkar dreamt of India as a country which takes each and every person forward. When people of the community were subjugated to injustice, Jyotirao Phule raised his voice and worked to get them equal rights. Sant Kabir Das and Ravi Das have spent all their lives fighting for equality which was rare in that era. We have decided to impart Baba saheb's teachings to the youth today. It is a great achievement for us to develop Baba saheb's 'panch teerth'. I want to request every member to visit Delhi and visit his memorial to experience the greatness of Ambedkar. Today, India is the second largest mobile producer, third largest electricty producer, 99 cites are on the path of become smart cities," PM Modi says.

"Maximum number of workers from the SC/ST category are BJP members of parliament. No matter what field, BJP is taking along members for the uplift for every person. We have submitted ourselves for the betterment of the society, be it Dalit, poor, tribal or women. Without stopping we are committed to work tirelessly for people," PM Modi says while addressing BJP's SC/ST workers through NaMo app.

Over the last two months, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and BJP president Amit Shah have stopped 47km short of Issuru, at Shivamogga.

As BJPs' Sriramulu and Congress's Siddaramaiah are all set to take on each other in the state, saffron party chief Amit Shah will campaign in the constituency on the last day, while B S Yeddyurappa will campaign in his constituency of Shikaripura. Among other ministers, Shobha Karandlaje, JP Nadda, Manoj Tiwari, Prakash Javadekar and Nirmala Sitharaman will also hold roadshows in the state. Also, the saffron party has arranged for 130 roadshows with state leaders.

This ice cream parlour in Bengaluru was a great place to end a long day on the campaign trail! The ice cream here is amazing and the staff friendly and helpful. I enjoyed meeting the owner and some of his customers. Look forward to being back soon! pic.twitter.com/WaqgPNp4cO

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 9, 2018

Accusing the Congress of trying to influence the assembly polls in Karnataka, the BJP today asked the Election Commission to countermand the election in Rajarajeshwari Nagar seat after thousands of alleged fake voter ID cards were found there in a flat yesterday. A BJP delegation, which included union ministers J P Nadda, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Smriti Irani among others, told the commission that scrapping the poll in the constituency was necessary to "reinstate people's faith" in the electoral process, Irani told reporters. Nadda claimed that the incident had showed the design of Congress to influence the election process in the high-stake state polls and added that there was "enough evidence" for this. Irani said the issue was not only important for the BJP but also the commission as voter ID cards are seen an evidence of people's faith in the electoral process. The delegation demanded a thorough probe into the matter to find out if similar methods were used in more constituencies.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, addressing a rally in Bengaluru, says even the US President had praised Bengaluru and its global standing. “Modi does not know all that. BJP and others had ridiculed my father Rajiv Gandhi's computer revolution. Now Bengaluru is a global power because of that,” he says. He also said that the biggest problem facing India is unemployment and the Congress party has promised in its manifesto to give a crore jobs in five years if it comes back to power in Karnataka. The small and middle-sized factories have potential to create more jobs and hence, they should be given full support, he said.

#Visuals: A BJP delegation comprising Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan & SS Ahluwalia reach Election commission over the issue of 9,746 voter identity cards found in bundles in a Bengaluru flat. #KarnatakaElection2018 pic.twitter.com/kXBGySUIOP

— ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2018

The Chief Electoral Officer says that something that looks like a survey form meant to identify “vulnerable people” was also found in the Bengaluru flat. Mobile number, IDs, pics, house pics of these people were also there. He says that two people have been arrested so far and more arrests are likely soon. The deputy election commissioner is coming to Karnataka to take stock of situation, he adds. Kumar says that the poll panel was initially worried that someone had broken into our system and created fake ID cards. “But we have found that that's not happened. Prima facie there has been an attempt to influence voters,” he says.

Kumar says the voter ID cards that were seized were both old and new ones. He says that the total voters in the Rajarajeshwarinagar constituency in Bengaluru is 4.71 lakhs, an addition of 44,837 voters from the last time. This addition is high compared to other parts of Karnataka and Bangaluru, Kumar, says, suggesting that some additions to the electoral rolls may have been faked. 

Sanjiv Kumar, the Chief Election Officer of Karnataka, is addressing a press conference in Karnataka on the voter ID cards seized from a flat, which a sparked a war of words between BJP and Congress. Kumar says that the seized cards, 9896 in number, were not fake and appear to be actual (original) cards based on preliminary investigation. He says that there is no evidence yet to suggest they are bogus or fake or from elsewhere. He says that the cards appear to be from various slums in the area that were systematically collected for “various purposes”. More than 6,000 voter applications and 20,700 acknowledgement receipts without seals were also found in the flat, he says.

Siddaramaiah govt will resort to all kinds of unscrupulous activities in election. Their ministers are distributing money to influence voters. Fake voter ID Cards were found. EC should take this seriously. Trends are in favor of BJP. We'll form govt with absolute majority: UP CM

A BJP delegation comprising Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan to meet Election commission today at 6 pm over the issue of 9,746 voter identity cards found in bundles in a Bengaluru flat.