'Make us win or will cut electricity in your area': Karnataka Congress MLA threatens voters
Bengaluru/IBNS: In a show of power that might not go well with voters, a Congress MLA from Karnataka has threatened people at a rally to disconnect electricity in their area if his party does not win by a huge margin in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Campaigning for the Congress, Kagwad MLA Raju Kage was addressing people in his constituency in Belagavi district when he made the remarks.
A video of his speech has gone viral and the BJP has attacked the Congress, claiming that the party thinks people are its slaves.
"I got fewer votes in some places. Forget about Shahpura. I won't talk much about it; if I do, worms will enter my mouth. If we don't get more votes, we will disconnect your electricity. Therefore, that shouldn't happen. Remember, I will stick to what I have said," Kage was heard saying in Kannada in a video that has gone viral.
The Kagwad Assembly constituency is part of the Chikkodi Lok Sabha seat, which went to the polls on April 26.
Half of the state's 28 seats voted that day and elections will be held in the remaining constituencies on May 7. It is not clear when the video featuring Kage was shot.
Targeting the Congress over the video, BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the party talks about a "mohabbat ki dukaan" (shop of love) but the clip shows a "dhamki ke bhaijaan" (chieftain of threats).
"It shows sense of entitlement and arrogance of Congress & how they think voters are not janata janardhan (the majority of people) but their slaves. Several instances of Karnataka Congress leaders speaking this language of threats," his post said.