Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday visited the poll-bound state of Karnataka on the occasion of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa's 80th birthday. He inaugurated the Shivamogga airport and launched some infrastructure projects including smart city plans, rural water connectivity initiatives under the Jal Jeevan Mission and national highways. Later, he also flagged off a newly renovated railway station and held a 9 km-long roadshow in Belagavi.

The prime minister's roadshow was met by a sea of supporters who lined the streets ahead of Karnataka's assembly elections that are due in May. This is PM Modi's fifth visit to the state this year. Modi was joined by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on his visit today.

In Belagavi, the prime minister ripped into the Congress party for allegedly wishing for his downfall. Modi's comments were met by applause from audience members.

"Congress thinks until Modi is alive their motives won't survive and that is why they all are saying, 'Mar ja Modi, mar ja Modi,'" PM Modi said. "Some are saying 'Modi teri kabad khudegi' but the country is saying 'Modi tera Kamal khilega.'"

He also accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge of being a "namesake" leader and implied that "the world knows who has the remote control" to the party.

Prior to the inauguration, Modi inspected the model of the new lotus-shaped airport. He praised the grandiosity and beauty of the airport and said it was a combination of Karnataka's tradition and technology. He also took a shot at the Congress alleging that the party didn't have the vision to erect as many airports as the BJP.

Ahead of the upcoming elections, Modi promoted the perks of a "double-engine" government which made the airport a possibility and was driving Karnataka's growth, he said.

"Earlier when the development of Karnataka was discussed, it used to remain confined to big cities. But the double-engine government is making efforts to extend it to Karnataka's villages, and tier 2 and 3 cities. The development of Shivamogga is result of that mindset," Modi said.

The new airport has been developed at a cost of around Rs 450 crore. The passenger terminal building of the airport can handle 300 passengers per hour. The prime minister's aircraft was the first one to land at the airport, per a News18 report.

To know details of all that the prime minister inaugurated in Karnataka, such as the Shivamogga Airport, click here.

In his address, the prime minister also praised the former chief minister, calling him grounded. He asked members of the crowd to switch on their phone's torches as a tribute to Yediyurappa.

Tweeting about the other projects launched by him, Modi said that was "delighted to be in Shivamogga where key projects pertaining to connectivity and water security are being launched."

First Published:Feb 27, 2023 1:38 PM IST