With less than a week till the state elections in Karnataka on May 10th, political groups have increased their campaigning efforts, engaging in high-octane and vitriolic confrontations.
The Congress party has arranged rallies and roadshows throughout the day, led by senior leaders Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, D K Shivakumar, and Siddaramaiah. Meanwhile, the BJP’s campaign tour includes engagements with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The Congress party, on the other hand, suffered a setback when its candidate Vinay Kulkarni was prohibited from entering Dharwad district. As a result, Kulkarni’s wife and daughter have been campaigning for him door-to-door, while Kulkarni himself is backing his family using social media to pursue campaign.
In other news, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has summoned Priyank Kharge, son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi “nalayak” (incompetent) during a campaign rally. The ECI has also issued a warning to political parties to “maintain the dignity of political discourse,” noting that such incidents can result in complaints and unfavourable media attention.