Vote for BJP is vote for me, says Modi in Karnataka

Chitradurga (Karnataka), April 9 (IANS) Sounding the poll bugle in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, here on Tuesday, said every vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) lotus would be a vote for him to serve the people again over the next five years.

"When you go to the polling booth and press the lotus button to vote for the BJP that vote will be for me and make me stronger to work for the country," Modi said at a huge rally in the Chitradurga, about 200km northwest of Bengaluru.

Launching the party's campaign for the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, which will go to polls in two phases -- April 18 and April 23, Modi connected with the people by starting his address in Kannada and extending them Ugadi new year greetings.

"I urge you all to become chowkidars to protect the country from enemies like the Congress and opposition parties within and Pakistan without. Beware of voting for the Congress or the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) if you want a strong (majboot) government than a helpless (majboor) government at the Centre," said Modi in his 30-minute speech in Hindi.

Appealing the first-time and millennials voters to use their votes diligently, Modi said every vote for the BJP would be a vote for the growth and development of the country, with him as their servant and chowkidar (watchman) once again.

Modi accused the Congress of playing divisive vote-bank politics over the past 60 years and doing injustice to the people by making false promises and ignoring their welfare.