Karnataka election: Manmohan attacks Modi for 'economic mismanagement'

With the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 days away, the BJP and Congress are running fierce campaigns. Catch today's latest Karnataka election campaign updates here

As the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 draws closer, top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress leaders are holding back-to-back rallies in the state to boost their respective parties' chances of securing a win in the crucial election.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, too, joined the Congress election campaign in the state on Monday, addressing a press conference in Bengaluru. Singh attacked the Modi government for its economic policies, saying that the country was facing a crisis that was avoidable.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha workers. Addressing Karnataka BJP workers via NaMo app on Monday, the Prime Minister accused the Opposition of being against new technologies promoted by the central government.

Looking to dethrone the Congress-led government in Karnataka, Modi kick-started a series of election rallies in the poll-bound state on May 1, with a total of 21 rallies scheduled. On Sunday, he addressed rallies in Chitradurga, Raichur, Jamakhandi, and Hubli.

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As the Karnataka election inches closer, a political slugfest has erupted in the state, with parties firing a barrage of barbs at one another. Gandhi has advised Prime Minister Modi to "copy" and implement at the Centre the Karnataka government's plan for the welfare of Dalits and Adivasis. Modi, for his part, reminded voters that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party chief Rahul Gandhi were out on bail in connection with a Rs 50-billion (Rs 5,000-crore) scam.

Karnataka will go to the polls on May 12 to elect its representatives for the 224-member Assembly. The results will be out on May 15.

Here are the top 10 developments in the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 campaign by Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi:

1) Manmohan Singh attacks Modi, BJP: Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, former PM Singh accused the Modi government of hurting the economy with moves such as demonetisation and the hasty implementation of goods and services tax (GST).

" Two major avoidable blunders of the Modi govt have been demonetisation and hasty implementation of GST. The losses the economy suffered due to these blunders have severely hurt our micro, small and medium enterprise sector and resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs," Singh said.

Singh also attacked the government over a series of banking sector frauds, saying that swindled money almost quadrupled from Rs 284.16 billion in September 2013 to Rs 1.11 trillion in September 2017.

"Perpetrators of these frauds, meanwhile, escape with impunity. The economic mismanagement of the Modi government, and I say this with great care and responsibility, is slowly eroding the general public's trust in the banking sector," he said.

Father of girl allegedly raped by BJP MLA beaten by UP cops, dead; updates

The father of the girl who had been taken into police custody for protesting outside Yogi Adityanath's residence died early this morning

An 18-year-old woman on Sunday tried to immolate herself near Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence, after alleging that she had been raped by a legislator of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The immolation bid took place outside the Golf Club gate of the chief minister's residence. The woman alleged that she was raped in June last year by Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the MLA of Unnao district's Bangermau constituency, around 90 km from Lucknow. She also accused the Unnao police of not taking any action and registering a case on her complaint, Vijay Sen Singh, in-charge of the Gautampalli police station, said.

In the latest development, the girl's father, who had been taken into police custody for protesting outside Adityanath's residence, died early this morning.

1. Father of alleged rape victim dies in police custody: Father of the woman who said that she was raped by a BJP MLA and his accomplices, passed away, allegedly in police custody, after he was arrested on Sunday.

He was admitted to hospital last night by Police after he complained of abdominal pain & vomiting. He passed away in early morning hours: Dr Atul, District hospital, Unnao on father of rape victim. The victim along with her family had attempted suicide outside CM residence, y'day pic.twitter.com/UqBoSI6EfI

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 9, 2018

2. 'Man died of vomiting and abdominal pain': "The man was admitted to the hospital last night after he complained of abdominal pain and vomiting. He passed away in the early morning hours," Dr Atul, District hospital of Unnao said about the father of the alleged rape victim.

3. "Arrest the rapist or I'll kill myself": The girl told mediapersons, "that the BJP MLA should be arrested, and until he is not, I am not going back home… I will take my life otherwise… I was threatened that if I tell anyone my family members will be killed and thrown away.

4. Girl's father was beaten by BJP MLA's brother: The 18-year-old girl claimed that her father sustained multiple injuries after he was beaten up by the BJP MLA's brother and some of his accomplices a few days ago.

5. Magisterial inquiry to be conducted: If lapse found on the side of police, action will be taken.The incident happened while the man was in judicial custody, said DIG.

6. UP police had beaten the girl's father: Two police officers and four constables suspended and 4 accused of beating the rape victim's father arrested: Pushpanjali Devi, SP of Unnao. (more)