By Shilpa Nair: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was in Karnataka on Sunday as he campaigned for his party ahead of the May 10 state Assembly polls. Addressing the rally in Vijayapura, Rahul Gandhi said, “BJP government (in Karnataka) is the most corrupt in India. They take 40 per cent commission for every work.”

He was referring to complaints from contractors that the BJP government in the state had allegedly sought 40 per cent commission from them for government contracts.

He alleged that the same money was used to “steal MLAs of previous government”. PM Modi needs to tell the people how the BJP bought MLAs in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi said.

He alleged that the BJP has bought MLAs in Madhya Pradesh, Goa, and Northeastern states. “The 40 per cent commission they are collecting is being used to buy MLAs everywhere,” Rahul Gandhi said.

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi declared that his party would win 150 seats in Karnataka out of the total 224 in the May 10 Assembly polls, while the “40 per cent BJP government” would get only 40 seats.

‘PM Modi, BJP leaders speak about Basavanna, butâ€æ’: Rahul Gandhi

Addressing the road show, Rahul Gandhi claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP leaders spoke about Basavanna, but did not follow his teachings.

On the birth anniversary of Basavanna, the 12th century social reformer, Rahul Gandhi invoked the Lingayat philosopher to target the ruling BJP in Karnataka. “We should remember that the idea of democracy was taught by Basavanna. Our Constitution, Parliament, and democracy have Basavanna’s thoughts,” Rahul Gandhi said.

“Basavanna had said don’t fear, speak out truth. If we see today, there is BJP and RSS’ ideology which is creating an atmosphere of hatred and violence in the country. Prime Minister and BJP leaders speak about Basavanna, but don’t follow his teachings,” the Congress leader said.

He once again launched an attack against PM Modi over the Adani issue.

Basavanna had spoken about helping the weaker sections of society, he did not say “help the billionaires”, Rahul Gandhi said.

“I have read about Basavanna’s teachings. He has nowhere written that ‘get the country’s wealth to Adani’. I spoke in Parliament house, I asked the Prime Minister as to what was his relationship with Adani? ‘The country’s entire wealth, ports and airports are being given to Adani; what’s your relationship?’,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi, who was convicted in a criminal defamation case and subsequently disqualified from the Lok Sabha in March, said that they (the BJP) had switched off his microphone in Parliament and then later disqualified him.

“They think that the truth can only be spoken in Lok Sabha, but it can be spoken anywhere, even here,” he said.

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