Karnataka elections: Modi dares Rahul to speak for 15 minutes without a paper

“We are Kaamdaars. What is our level that we can sit with people like the Congress President, who look down on us,” Modi quipped.

PM Narendra Modi addressing a rally in Chamarajnagar in Karnataka.

Chamarajnagar (Karnataka): PM Narendra Modi addressed his first election rally amid campaigning reaching fever-pitch. Modi in his trademark style attacked Congress President Rahul Gandhi and dared him to speak in any language of his choice for 15 minutes without a paper in hand, spelling out Karnataka government's achievements. Modi’s sharp riposte came after Gandhi had regularly said that Modi wouldn’t have the guts to speak for even 15 minutes in Lok Sabha.

In this Karnataka election, you can speak in any language of your choice for 15 minutes without a paper in hand, spelling out Karnataka govt's achievements. Besides, I'd like you to pronounce Visvesvaraya 5 times in the same breath: PM @narendramodi #KarnatakaElection pic.twitter.com/t5VQEr1mQp

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) May 1, 2018

The prime minister also challenged Gandhi to pronounce late eminent engineer and statesman Visvesvaraya 5 times in the same breath. Modi said the Congress President is 'Namdaar' so how does he know about the efforts of 'Kaamdaars.“We are Kaamdaars. What is our level that we can sit with people like the Congress President, who look down on us,” Modi quipped. Modi questioned why several parts of Karnataka are still deprived of electricity and reneged on the promise made 13 years ago. “In 2005, during the time of Smt. Sonia Gandhi's government, Dr. Manmohan Singh had said he will provide electricity to every village by 2009. What happened to that? In any case, we saw how the Congress treated Dr. Manmohan Singh. They tore off ordinances and disrespected him.”