Mysuru:  With the Karnataka Assembly Polls heading for a bitter battle between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP and JD(S), Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will address 15 rallies across the State from May 1.

Announcing this at a press meet here this morning, MP Pratap Simha said that PM Modi will begin his campaign in the State by addressing a massive rally at Santhemarahalli in Chamarajanagar taluk at 11am on May 1.

After Santhemarahalli, Modi will address a rally at MGM College grounds in Udupi at 3pm and in Chikkodi at 6pm.

After a day’s break, Modi will address a BJP rally at Kalaburagi at 11am on May 3, followed by rallies at Ballari at 3pm and Bengaluru at 6pm. On May 5, Modi will address rallies at Tumakuru at 11am, Shivamogga at 3pm and Gadag at 6pm.

On May 7, the PM will address rallies at Raichur at 11am, followed by rallies at Chitradurga at 3pm and Kolar at 6pm.

On May 8, the PM will address rallies at Vijayapura at 11am,   Mangaluru at 3pm and at Bengaluru at 6pm, Simha said.

Admitting that the BJP was weak in old Mysuru region earlier, Simha said that however, the party is gaining widespread support in this region too with the visit of PM Modi and BJP National President Amit Shah.

Lashing out at Chief Minister Siddharamaiah for accusing BJP of displaying a pro-hindu attitude, Simha reminded the Chief Minister that it was Indira Gandhi who implemented the 3- language formula when she was the PM in 1969.

Questioning the CM’s credentials in advocating Kannada pride and identity, when Siddharamaiah had himself apologised for not being able to speak in Marathi at a Congress rally in Marathi-dominated Nippani yesterday, the MP said that the BJP need not learn any lesson from the Congress as the CM was making only bogus claims on Kannada pride. He also came down heavily on the Congress manifesto released by Rahul Gandhi at Mangaluru a couple of days ago, saying that the manifesto contained a lot of mistakes in Kannada which itself was an insult to crores of Kannadigas.

Launching a scathing attack on AICC President Rahul Gandhi, the MP said that Rahul Gandhi should first speak about scams of Congress Governments post Independence, beginning from jeep scam in Nehru era.

Listing out scams under the UPA Government, which included 2G, CWG, Coal scams etc., Simha said that Rahul Gandhi had no moral right to speak about BJP, as it was the UPA Government which patronised scamsters such as Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi and Mehul Choksi.

The MP further said that Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were out on bail in the multi thousand crore National Herald Case. Replying to a question on the role of B.Y. Vijayendra, who was denied the party ticket from Varuna at the last minute, Simha said that Vijayendra was working overtime for the party and was campaigning extensively in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts at present.

Former MyLAC and Chairman M.V. Ravishankar and others were present at the press meet.