Temperatures ran high in North Karnataka on Thursday, both politically and literally, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressed different rallies in this crucial belt , ahead of the May 12 state assembly polls. While Modi attacked the Congress on its treatment of Dalit leader Mallikarjun M Kharge and on how it insulted the people of Ballari, Rahul Gandhi said he was refraining from personal assaults and spoke only on public issues.
“The Congress talks of Dalits and their welfare, but didn’t make a Dalit the chief minister. Instead, they held a secret ballot and made a man who changed three parties (Siddaramaiah) their CM,” said Modi referring to Congress floor leader in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge. He was addressing a rally in the blazing heat in Kalaburagi, the parliamentary constituency of Kharge.