Karnataka elections: Congress has "Jihadi mindset", alleges UP CM Adityanath

Hitting the campaign trail in poll-bound Karnataka to mobilise support for the BJP, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday asked the people to reject what he called the "divisive" politics and "jihadi mindset" of the Congress.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath (File/PTI)/

SIRSI: Hitting the campaign trail in poll-bound Karnataka to mobilise support for the BJP, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday asked the people to reject what he called the "divisive" politics and "jihadi mindset" of the Congress. At a rally here, he accused his Karnataka counterpart Siddaramaiah of playing the "most corrupt innings" that divides the society. "I have come here to call upon you to outrightly reject the divisive politics of the Congress, the jihadi mindset of the Congress, its policies of supporting terrorism and corruption," Adityanath said. Targeting Siddaramaiah, he claimed that "jihadis" killing 23 BJP workers in the state in the last five years was a "proof" of the Congress party's alleged divisive politics. "Today the Congress government in Karnataka and its chief minister, who is playing the most corrupt innings, are making the worst effort to divide the society. Their divisive politics supports terrorism," he said. Adityanath said he had come to put a brake on the "divisive" policies of the Congress in the state. Seeking to draw a comparison between UP and Karnataka, Adityanath said no jihadi element can raise his ugly head in his state. "This government does not seem to be standing in favour of farmers, traders, citizens and BJP workers and does not seem to be doing justice to them. The government is encouraging anarchy," the UP chief minister said. He also took a dig at Siddaramaiah over farmers' suicides and said their interests of had been ignored due to the "indifferent" attitude of his government. "Today the Siddaramaiah government is using Karnataka as its automated teller machine. Thus, I have come here to tell you that Congress-free Karnataka is the need of the hour," Adityanath said Citing Ramayana, he said when Lord Rama was wandering in the woods, he found his most loyal devotee Hanuman in this southern state. "It was Hanuman who was instrumental in establishing Ramarajya," Adityanath, who is also the pontiff of the Gorakhnath Math in UP, said. "We belong to the tradition which does not believe in dividing society. It unites north with south, east with south. We always saw India as a united nation for we believe in "ek Bharat, sreshtha Bharat" (one India, best India)," he said