What Nadda said? Congress alleges BJP chief "threatened" Kannadigas in Haveri speech

The Congress party on Wednesday lashed out at Bharatiya Janata Party president J. P. Nadda for allegedly threatening to "deprive Karnataka of development", if they don't vote for the incumbent BJP government.

Sharing a clip of Nadda's speech in poll-bound Karnataka, Congress alleged that it was a "blatant attack on democracy and shows how the BJP plans to treat the Kannadigas."

On Wednesday, Nadda accompanied Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai in filing his nomination from his traditional seat of Shiggaon in Haveri district. Bommai won in Shiggaon in the 2018 Assembly polls by 9,260 votes.

Later, addressing a public meeting and seeking votes for Bommai and the BJP, he said the nomination that Bommai was filing today was not just for the MLA's post, "but it is a way that will give direction for Karnataka to move ahead".

"Looking at your enthusiasm I'm sure that you have decided to send Bommai here to the Assembly for the next five years. I have not come here just to ask for Bommai from you, but have come to seek vote from you on the lotus symbol so that the 'Ganga' of continuous development keeps flowing in Karnataka," he said.

"Karnataka should not be deprived of the blessings of Modi ji, so I request you to make the lotus win and take forward the development of Karnataka," the BJP president added, which triggered flak from Congress.

Scaring Kannadigas: Congress Reacts

Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, said "There should be a limit to devotion too, Nadda ji."

"Why are you threatening and scaring the people of Karnataka? With the blessings of the people of Karnataka, the Congress government is going to be formed," he said in a tweet in Hindi. 

(With inputs from agencies)