India needs a stable govt to move forward: Sadananda Gowda

Speaking to reporters in the midst of his election campaign in Yesvantpur area in the city, the BJP candidate for Bengaluru North segment who is seeking his reelection for a third term in a row, said the progress made by the country during the last five years under BJP-led NDA government was a testimony as to how the country had become a strong economy and its development model made the other countries sit up and watch keenly.

‘’The people of the country have endorsed what Modi government has achieved during the last five years. This will pave the way for the BJP to retain power at the Centre after this election and Modi will again become the Prime Minister,’’ he claimed.

Gowda said the Modi government had exhibited grit and determination to retaliate against the terror attack on Indian security personnel by launching surgical strikes post Pulwama incident. This had cleared the doubts whether India will sit quiet after such disturbing event or act decisively. But the previous UPA government never showed such an intent and had not given liberty to the armed forces not acted with an iron hand against terror outfits,’’ he alleged.

The former Karnataka Chief Minister said that he had received good response from the voters as well as local leaders across the segment that comprises northern part of Bengaluru and surrounding villages and was confident of retaining his seat.

Countering Gowda's claims, his opponent and Karnataka Minister Krishna Byregowda said that the voters will defeat Sadananda Gowda and ensure Congress’ victory this time, as being a Union Minister had failed to perform and the local people were not aware of his achievements. They did not even ‘recognise his face’.

‘’This is a fight between an outsider (Sadananda Gowda hails from Dakshina Kannada district) and me, a local youth. I have been the local man and always stayed with the people of the segment. While my opponent do not understand the feelings of the local people, I have remained one among them and worked hard to implement various schemes and provide civic amenities in the area,’’ Krishna Byregowda, the Rural Development minister in the State cabinet who represents Byatarayanapura Assembly segment, added.

Speaking at an election campaign at K R Puram Ambedkar Stadium in the segment, he said Sadananda Gowda was falsely claiming that all works sanctioned for the city by the UPA government was achieved by the BJP government. ‘’Though it is a fact that any citizen of the country can contest election from any part of the country, the BJP candidate has little to boast despite being a two-time Lok Sabha member from this seat. He is banking on Modi to get reelected.

‘’He has remained emotionally and physically an outsider,’’ he alleged.

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Rajya Sabha member K C Ramamurthy, local legislators and others accompanied Krishna Byregowda during his campaign. 

Image: UNI