PM Modi to Address Election Rally in Karnataka today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to deliver an election rally in Shivamogga, Karnataka, on Monday, marking his first rally in the southern state since the Election Commission of India (ECI) released the schedule for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The rally, anticipated to commence at 2 pm at the Allama Prabhu ground, is expected to draw approximately 2.5 lakh attendees. Notably, Shivamogga is the hometown of former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa, a prominent leader of the Prime Minister’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.

However, the BJP faces a significant challenge as senior leader and former Karnataka deputy chief minister KS Eshwarappa has decided not to participate in the public gathering, despite efforts by the party to persuade him. Eshwarappa’s absence stems from his dissatisfaction with the BJP’s decision not to nominate his son KE Kantesh for a ticket. Consequently, Eshwarappa will contest the Lok Sabha polls from the Shivamogga constituency, where the party has fielded BY Raghavendra, the elder son of Yediyurappa.

Expressing his discontent, Eshwarappa asserted that the BJP in Karnataka is becoming increasingly controlled by the Yediyurappa family, resembling the governance style of the ruling Congress. Karnataka holds significant electoral weight with its 28 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. In the previous 2019 national polls, the BJP, along with an independent candidate, secured 26 constituencies, while the Congress-JD(S) alliance won the remaining two seats.

The upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections will unfold in seven phases, commencing on April 19 and concluding on June 1. Vote counting for all 543 seats is scheduled for June 4.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *