Rahul Gandhi is not scared of anything, he is a born fighter: Karnataka Dy CM Shivakumar

Bengaluru, April 17 (IANS) MP Rahul Gandhi is not scared of anything and he is a born fighter, stated Karnataka Congress President and Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar on Wednesday in Bengaluru.

Speaking to reporters, Dy CM Shivakumar stated, “Rahul Gandhi is campaigning all over the country. I am also reaching Wayanad tomorrow and taking up campaigning. I have confidence that the hard work of Rahul Gandhi will pay off.”

When asked about the senior Congress leader’s allegations that the “BJP won’t cross the 180-seat mark without fixing EVMs”, he stated that Rahul Gandhi had more information in this regard and based on that he had made the statement.

“I have also maintained that the NDA won’t form the government and the INDIA bloc will form the government at the Centre,” he added.

Answering a question on the statement of Union Minister of State, Shobha Karandlaje that Rahul Gandhi’s visit will boost the BJP’s chances, Dy CM Shivakumar questioned, “What happened in the Assembly election in Karnataka? What happened in Udupi Chikmagalur Lok Sabha Constituency she represents? The Congress party won all six seats in Chikmagalur District. Why did she vacate the Lok Sabha seat she currently represents? The people asked her to go back.”

Dy CM Shivakumar further stated, the Congress-led UDF is set to sweep all 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala.

“I had gone to Wayanad and after seeing the support given by the people there, it is certain that UDF is all set to sweep Kerala state.

“In Karnataka, 14 sitting BJP MPs were denied tickets to contest. Why did the BJP cancel tickets for them? If they were sure of victory, they would have fielded them. The NDA had refused tickets to more than 100 sitting MPs,” Shivakumar stated.

He alleged that the BJP had understood that it wouldn't come to power in the country.

“The people are aware of our principles, integrity and they also know about inflation and unemployment. After Karnataka and Telangana were successful in implementing their guarantees, now it is being presented as the guarantee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Shivakumar stated.

Out of fear of defeat, the BJP has made an alliance with former CM Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh and JD(S) in Karnataka, Shivakumar charged.

Taking strong objection to the BJP’s statement on stopping of guarantees, Dy CM Shivakumar stated, “Karnataka BJP President, BY Vijayendra had stated that the guarantees would not be continued after NDA comes to power. I am telling BJP leaders, former CM BS Yediyurappa, Vijayendra, the Leader of Opposition R Ashoka and former CM HD Kumaraswamy, that they won't be able to do anything with the guarantees.”

“The people of the state won’t let you do it. We are winning more than 20 seats,” Dy CM Shivakumar asserted.