We didn't work like PM Modi, failed to set proper narrative: CT Ravi on Karnataka poll loss
says, Opposition parties working for Adani, Ambani; BJP and Modi committed to uplift of the poor
Panaji, Jun 12: The BJP lost the Karnataka Assembly polls as it could not work in the southern state the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi works at the national level and also failed to set a proper narrative before elections, party general secretary C T Ravi said on Monday.
The senior BJP leader said it was Opposition parties that were working for industrialists "Adani and Ambani," while Modi and his party were committed to uplift of the poor.
Hitting out at the Congress, he said the party was associated with corruption, communalism and family politics.
Addressing a press conference here in Goa, Ravi said multiple factors were involved in the outcome of the Assembly polls in Karnataka, where the Congress put up an impressive performance last month, winning more than 130 seats in the 224-member House.
The BJP bagged 65 seats, down from more than 100 in 2018.
"The BJP has managed to secure its own vote. Due to guarantee card (pre-poll promises made by Congress), we lost 100-200 votes in each polling booth," he said.
The general secretary in-charge of Goa, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu said the BJP could not set a proper narrative in Karnataka head of polls last month, which was one of the reasons for its loss in the southern state.
The BJP failed to retain power in Karnataka "as we could not work like PM (at the national level)", said Ravi.
Speaking further, he alleged it was Opposition parties that were working for top industrialists in the country, while the BJP was pro-poor.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a reformer, performer and transformer. The Opposition has been making baseless allegations against him. PM Modi has never worked for Adani and Ambani. It was Opposition parties which were working for Adani and Ambani," Ravi said.
The BJP leader said the Modi government has been working for "the poor people through its welfare schemes and policies".
"Modi introduced 'Make In India' concept which will help the country become self-reliant," he maintained.
Ravi alleged the Congress rule between 2004-2014 was linked to corruption which was not the case with the BJP-led government at the Centre.
"We have to compare the situation during the UPA (headed by Congress) to the current Modi-led rule. We can say the Congress means scam. Today there is no scam. The BJP means scheme, while the Congress means scam," he claimed.
The BJP leader said the poor have been made part of the administrative system under the Modi government and pointed out that crores of bank accounts have been opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, a financial inclusion programme, since 2014.
He said the Congress means communalism and family politics. "Politics of Modi encompasses entire India, while Congress politics means only their own family members," Ravi said.
The BJP leader said political outfits like the NCP, the Samajwadi Party, the RJD, the JDS, the National Conference and the TMC are "pariwarwadi parties" (family run).
"All these parties are against the BJP. They claim democracy is under threat but there is no (internal) democracy in their own parties. There is dynasty and dictatorship," he alleged.
The BJP leader claimed foreign policies were earlier either Russia or America-centric, but now they have become "India-centric".
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
