Bengaluru: In a shocking turnaround, clearly aimed at ending all speculation of a post-poll link up, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday came down heavily on the JD(S), accusing it of joining hands with terrorist organisations to win the Assembly elections. The prime minister had lavished praise on the JD(S) supremo, H.D. Devegowda on Tuesday which was reciprocated by the former premier a day later.
Addressing a rally at the Visvesvaraya grounds in Kengeri satellite town, Mr. Modi appealed to the voters not to "commit the mistake" of voting for the JD(S), which he described as "totally insignificant" in the elections.
"Whatever political pundits might say, the JD(S) is restricted to third position, and cannot be an alternative to the Congress or form the government with its own strength," he maintained, claiming that a desperate JD(S) had joined hands with terrorist organisations, which were a threat to national security, to win the elections.
Mr Modi’s remarks against the JD(S) were made before a moderate crowd drawn from the four constituencies of Yeshwanthapura, Rajarajeshwarinagar, Bengaluru South and Ramanagara with a large number of Vokkaliga voters, who are the JD(S)’ traditional supporters.
But it was the Congress which bore the brunt of his fiery speeches with the PM scoring points for bringing up a series of poll surveys that predicted a hung assembly.
Modi claimed that it was the Congress, which was trying to create confusion by such talk and insisted the BJP would come to power in Karnataka with a clear mandate under the leadership of its state chief, B.S. Yeddyurappa.
