HDK, Siddaramaiah target PM’s facial, BJP’s chowkidar fixation

BENGALURU: On the second leg of their joint campaign in Bengaluru North constituency on Monday, Congress-JD(S) alliance heavyweights took the battle into rival camp: While

chief minister HD Kumaraswamy

accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of getting facials,

Congress Legislature Party Leader Siddaramaiah

said BJP leaders who had been in jail are calling themselves ‘chowkidars’ without any qualms.


“Modi applies beauty cream so his face shines while we bathe in the morning before setting out under the sun,” Kumaraswamy said. “While BJP candidate DV Sadananda Gowda wants you to vote for Modi’s face, I appeal to voters look at our face too.”

“It is the local leaders from Congress and JD(S) who come to your help not Modi in New Delhi,” he said.

Lashing out at the BJP leaders for their ‘chowkidar’ slogan, Siddaramaiah said, “It has become a fashion for BJP leaders to call themselves chowkidar. Even their tainted leaders like Yeddyurappa, Katta Subramanya Naidu and Amit Shah, who had gone to jail, have no qualms about calling themselves chowkidar.”

Monday’s joint campaign came after last week’s electioneering in the constituency by JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda and Siddaramaiah.

Deputy chief minister G Parameshwara joined Kumaraswamy at an afternoon rally in Hegganhalli of Dasarahalli assembly segment of Bengaluru north.

Hitting out at the BJP leaders who criticised Deve Gowda based on his age, Kumaraswamy said Gowda’s brain is sharper than a 26-year-old’s.

“They ask what he will do in Parliament at his age... He is brighter than youth at 26,” he said.

Referring to BJP leader KS Eshwarappa’s comment in jest that the chief minister would expire after the polls, Kumaraswamy said, “I will live long because of the people’s blessings. Neither will I die nor will my government fall after the elections.”