New Delhi, India

Karnataka elections 2023: India’s Congress party is accusing Union Home Minister Amit Shah of “insulting self-respecting” Kannadigas after his Tuesday speech that he delivered during a rally in Bagalkot district. Shah in his speech stated the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka were not about just electing their Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) or state ministers, but also about handing over the future of the state to “Modi ji.”

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What Amit Shah said in his speech?

Shah said, “This election is to hand over the future of the state to Modi ji. This election is to make Karnataka a fully developed state.”

Shah also suggested that if Congress is voted to power even by mistake, it would lead to massive corruption in the state. Shah said, “We will form the government under Modi’s leadership again. If the Congress is voted even by mistake, then it will lead to all-time high corruption, appeasement and all-time high dynastic politics, and the entire state will suffer from riots.”

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Congress reacts to Shah’s statement

Randeep Singh Surjewala, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of Karnataka, responded to Shah’s statement by saying that the union home minister’s statement reeked of arrogance. Surjewala said, “J P Nadda ji says Kannadigas need blessings of Modi, not vice versa. Can they not find a single Kannadiga to hand over the state of Karnataka to run the state that it has to be handed over to Modi? BJP’s arrogance has crossed all barriers.”

Apart from Surjewala, senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah also accused the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) of undermining democracy. He said, “In a democratic system, citizens vote for such representatives who serve them rather than those who are slaves to rulers. Amit Shah, you have not only insulted the democratic set-up but also self-respecting Kannadigas.”

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Karnataka goes into polls in May

Assembly elections will be held in the Indian state of Karnataka on May 10 for electing 224 members of the state assembly. Election results will be announced on May 13. The term of the current Karnataka assembly will end on May 24, 2023.