Vijayapura (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday held a massive road show here, ahead of the May 10 Karnataka Assembly polls, waving at a large, enthusiastic crowd that had lined up on both sides of the route.
Standing on top of a specially designed vehicle, Gandhi constantly waved at the people gathered in the streets and on nearby buildings, many of whom were seen chanting 'Rahul, Rahul' slogans and shouting loud cheers.
He began the road show after garlanding the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. People holding Congress flags moved along as the vehicle carrying Gandhi and other Congress leaders passed through the streets from Shivaji Circle and Kanakadasa Circle, amid the sound of drum beats.
Karnataka Congress campaign committee chief M B Patil and several other party leaders and workers accompanied Gandhi on the road show. Gandhi, earlier today began his two-day visit to poll-bound Karnataka from Kudala Sangama, where he offered obeisance to 12th-century poet and social reformer Basaveshwara on his birth anniversary, celebrated as Basava Jayanti today.
BJP speak about Basavanna, but don't follow his teachings, says Rahul Gandhi: Invoking 12th century social reformer Basavanna on his birth anniversary, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ruling BJP leaders only spoke about the Lingayat philosopher in their speeches but didn't follow his teachings.
Calling the BJP government in Karnataka the "most corrupt in the country", he declared that Congress would win 150 seats in Karnataka out of the total 224 in the May 10 Assembly polls, while the "40 per cent BJP government" would get only 40 seats.
He was referring to complaints from contractors that the BJP government in the state sought had allegedly sought 40 per cent commission from them for government contracts.
"Basavanna had said don't fear, speak out truth. If we see today, there is BJP and RSS' ideology which is creating an atmosphere of hatred and violence in the country. Prime Minister and BJP leaders speak about Basavanna, but don't follow his teachings," Gandhi said.
"They think that the truth can only be spoken in Lok Sabha, but it can be spoken anywhere, even here," he said. AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal, Karnataka Congress campaign committee chief M B Patil and KPCC working president Satish Jarkiholi, were among those present.
Gandhi was speaking after holding a massive road show from from Shivaji Circle to Kanakadasa Circle, amid the sound of drum beats, in which large crowds of people took part. Gandhi, earlier today began his two-day visit to poll-bound Karnataka from Kudala Sangama, where he offered obeisance to Basaveshwara, also known as Basavanna, on his birth anniversary, celebrated as Basava Jayanti. Basavanna is the founder of the Lingayat sect.
This visit of Gandhi is seen as an attempt by the Congress to bolster Lingayat outreach ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls. Lingayats are a dominant community constituting about 17 per cent of the State's population, largely seen as the ruling BJP's vote bank.
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