Watch out, Modi's here

BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's major leg up to help the BJP regain its foothold south of the Vindhyas will commence on Tuesday with the BJP's star campaigner, set to address three rallies on alternate days in different parts of the state in the run up to Assembly polls on May 12. 

On Tuesday, according to party sources, Mr Modi will cover three districts-Chamarajnagar - shrugging aside a widely perceived jinx on all who visit the town - as well as Udupi and Chikkodi, addressing meetings in Santhemarahalli, Udupi and Chikkodi with each of these places chosen keeping in mind the caste calculus. 

For instance, he would focus on Lingayats and Dalits of Chamarajnagar through his address at Santhemarahalli, while in the temple town of Udupi, Mr Modi would attempt to increase the party's hold over Hindus. At Chikkodi, the last port of call on Tuesday, the target audience would constitute Lingayats, Marathas and tribals.    n Turn to page 4

Sources said during 16 rallies commencing Tuesday, Mr Modi would heli-hop to cover almost the districts before May 10, with visits likely to Bengaluru on May 3 and Bengaluru 8 to reach out to voters in Bengaluru (rural), Bengaluru (south) and the state capital.  

In order to counter Congress president Rahul Gandhi's criticism that Mr Modi would attack the government headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with state unit president B S Yeddyurappa sharing the dais, the Prime Minister has decided to keep the former chief minister busy electioneering in other constituencies. The upshot: Mr Modi could step up his blistering attack against Mr Siddaramaiah and other leaders of the ruling party. 

On the eve of Mr Modi's visit, Mr Siddaramaiah posed questions to the Prime Minister on Twitter while welcoming him to the state. "Dear @narendramodi, Heard you are visiting Namma" Karnataka tomorrow. We welcome you to our state. While you are" here, we Kannadigas would like you to address the following" concerns. Please #AnswerMaadiModi," Mr Siddaramaiah tweeted. 

In a series of tweets, assailed the prime minister over BJP giving tickets to "tainted" mining baron G Janardhan Reddy's brothers and associates as also declaring Yeddyurappa its chief ministerial candidate. "Would G Janardhan Reddy be joining your rallies here? "You have given his family & friends 8 tickets, hoping it will help BJP in 10-15 seats. And then, you lecture us on corruption. Please end this hypocrisy. Kannadigas aren't  wearing Kamala (lotus, the BJP's election symbol) on their ears," Mr Siddaramaiah wrote. "You first make scam tainted @BSYBJP your party's CM" face in Karnataka. Then media reports that you don't want to" be seen sharing the stage with him at rallies! 

"Karnataka wants" to know if Yeddyurappa is still your CM candidate?" he wrote in another tweet. 

Raising issues like tickets being given to "rape" accused and MLAs who watched porn in the Assembly", the chief minister also hit out at Modi over promises that were not kept. In tweets that followed, Siddaramaiah referred to incidents of rape in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. He alleged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath "protected" a BJP MLA accused of sexual assault, while party MLAs defended"the rapists of a child in Jammu and Kashmir. "And then your party makes bombastic Ads to" politicise rape in Karnataka?!" Mr Siddaramaiah added.