Karwar: Neither individuals nor parties in the state will have significant roles in the forthcoming assembly polls in the state as the polls will ultimately determine the future of the people in Karnataka, said Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Surface Transport in a bid to highlight the achievements of Modi-led union government.
Seeking votes in favour of Karwara-Ankola Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) candidate Rupali Naik, Gadkari said, “Congress government in Karnataka broke all the records on corruption and on the verge of exit,it brought in deep division among the people on religious lines.”
During the UPA rule, only 2 km a day national highway stretch was built but during Modi-led NDA government, it’s 28 km a day, Gadkari claimed. Delhi-Mumbai corridor is being built at a cost of Rs 1 Lakh Crore, he said and the states of Goa and Karnataka received Rs 15.000 Crore and Rs 2 Lakh Crore during the last five years towards development, Gadkari claimed.
Casteism and untouchability have to be rooted from the country to ensure social justice and people have to extend their support for this cause, he noted.
Witnessing the fast pace of development in India, several countries including US and China have changed their perspective to one of positivity, Gadkari said.
India has 12 major ports and development works costing Rs 16 Lakh Crores are in progress under the Sagar Mala project keeping the interests of fishing community in mind. Earlier, fishermen had to seek permission to go beyond 11 nautical miles in the sea but now can freely touch 200 nautical miles, Gadkari said.
A strategic shift in Gadkari’s campaign speech was to focus on development and touch on sensitive issues by ignoring local leaders.
