PM Modi Ups Ante, To Address 21 Rallies in Karnataka Instead of 15

While Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been touring the state since last week, Modi hit the state on 1 May.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during Karnataka election campaign rally at Chamarajanagar on Tuesday.

(Photo: PTI)

Harping on the third day of his five-day visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally in Tumkur in Karnataka on 5 May. He is also scheduled to campaign in Shivamoga and Hubbali later on Saturday.

Instead of 15 rallies, as initially planned, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a total of 21 public meetings in poll-bound Karnataka, as the BJP pulls out all stops to wrest power from the Congress in the state.

While Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been touring the state since last week, Modi hit the state on Tuesday, 1 May, beginning the second round of his 'campaign-blitzkrieg' with rallies in Chamarajanagar, Udupi and Belagavi.

On 3 May, Modi addressed three rallies in Gulbarga, Ballari and Bengaluru.

(Photo: The Quint)

Regarding the increase in the number of election rallies, a BJP leader told Hindustan Times that Modi would also be addressing rallies on 6 and 9 May. This is in addition to the rallies he is scheduled to addressed on 5, 7 and 8 May.

Another BJP leader attributed the change in schedule to the encouraging response by the people to Modi's rallies on 1 May. The BJP leader told HT: "He is our only hope. So, the party wanted him to spare as much time as he could for campaigning."

Moreover, a report by The Hindu cited sources close to BS Yeddyurappa as saying that the BJP's CM candidate would be present for Modi's rally in Shivamogga scheduled for 5 May as well as one in Bidar expected to happen on 9 May.

The party has indicated that its intention to "snatch the narrative from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah" with the help of Modi's rallies and has dismissed allegations that it is being "jittery" about the poll results.

Speaking to The Indian Express earlier, a party leader had said that Modi is unlikely to spend as much time in each of the rallies as compared to his earlier campaigns, owing to official work schedule.

Apart from Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, senior party leaders such as Smriti Irani, Sushma Swaraj and Piyush Goyal are also likely to address rallies in the poll-bound state. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is also in Karnataka campaigning for the BJP.

The 224-seat Assembly in Karnataka is scheduled to go to polls on 12 May, and the counting will be on 15 May.

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