Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru

Mysuru, Apr 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday April 9 claimed that Congress president Rahul Gandhi did not contest Lok Sabha polls from Karnataka as he feared 'revenge' by coalition partner JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda for being 'backstabbed' by Sonia Gandhi for being 'removed' as Prime Minister.

Addressing his second election rally in Karnataka at Mysuru Maharaja College grounds here, PM Modi said that Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy had become 'punching bag' for the Congress, pointing out that even though the Congress was sharing power with JD(S) in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi had preferred Wayanad in Kerala as his second seat to contest from, apart from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

"Congress fears that Deve Gowda may take revenge over former Congress president Sonia Gandhi for backstabbing him when he was removed as Prime Minister in 1996," he said.

"Congress does not trust the JD(S) and hence, Naamdaar (Rahul Gandhi) has not dared to fight elections from Karnataka," he said.

He also said one could imagine the plight of the Congress today when its president's existing seat in Amethi itself was in danger.

"The Communists ordered lathi-charge and jailed the devotees of Sabarimala. Congress supported them and thus agreed with their action. When Naamdaar visited Kerala, he said that he would not speak against the Communists," the PM said.

He also called the grand alliance formed by the opposition parties (Mahagathbandhan) as 'Mahamilavat' and said their only agenda, along with that of Congress, was 'Modi Hatao'.

Urging people of Mandya to support Sumalatha, wife of the late actor Ambareesh, who the BJP is backing against chief minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil, the PM asked the voters to remember the contribution of Ambareesh to Kannada and to Karnataka while casting their votes.

"Sumalatha supported her husband and Kannada film star M H Ambareesh in promoting the native language and its culture for years. I express gratitude to Ambareesh and Sumalatha for their contribution to Kannada," said Modi.

Campaigning for the party's candidates in the old Mysore region, which goes to polls in the second phase on April 18, Modi fondly recalled the rebel star (Ambareesh), who died in Bengaluru on November 24, 2018 at the age of 66.

Though Ambareesh won from the Mandya three times, twice as Congress member and once as Janata Dal-Secular member, and was a Cabinet Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government (2013-16), the ruling ally could not give Sumalatha its ticket to contest, as it has been a JD(S) bastion since 2009 general elections.

BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, Mysuru MP candidate Pratap Simha, S M Krishna among others were present.