"Strong anti-incumbency against NDA, no Modi wave this time, INDIA will form govt": Siddaramaiah

Kolar (Bengaluru) [India], April 21 : Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah exuded confidence in the opposition coalition, INDIA bloc forming government st the Centre, adding that there is a "strong anti-incumbency" against the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
Talking to ANI in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, Siddaramaiah asserted that the Congress party coming to power is the "expected result". He exuded confidence that the INDIA bloc will garner the required seats to form the government in the Centre.
"Not surprising, it is expected result that the Congress party is going to come back to power. This time NDA headed by the BJP is going to be defeated and INDIA headed by the Congress party is going to get the required number of seats to form the government. It is their illusion. This time there is no Modi wave. This time they have not raised any emotional issues to the people. Last time they raised emotional issues like Pulwama, Article 370 abolition. This time though they have built Sri Ram Temple in Ayodhya it will not make any impact," the senior Congress leader said while speaking to ANI today.
Siddaramaiah claimed that the ruling party, BJP asserting to win 400 seats is a "strategy" as they are aware of "not getting the required number".
"They may get 200-220 seats. They are telling they will win 400. Abki Baar 400 paar, that is not possible at all. They are strategically telling this. I believe NDA will not come to power. They know that the NDA will not get the required number which is why strategically they are telling they will win 400 seats," he said.
"Everywhere I have gone there is a lot of enthusiasm among the voters. I feel the Congress party have a fair chance of winning this election. I hope we will win at least 20 seats in Karnataka," the Chief Minister said.
He pointed out that the BJP-led NDA had not fulfilled their promises during the previous parliamentary elections on which they vowed to power.
"Though it is a parliamentary election. It is the election for the nation. This time the NDA is going to be defeated. It is because there is strong anti-incumbency against the NDA government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government's failure. After all, PM Modi has not fulfilled his promises. So BJP-led by PM Modi will be defeated this time and INDIA led by Congress, will have fair chances for forming the government at the Centre," Siddaramaiah said.
The Congress leader also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'hijacking' guarantees announced by the grand old party in the previous assembly elections.
"When we announced the guarantees, this same PM Modi criticised us. Now he has hijacked these guarantees. Now he's telling 'Modi guarantee, Modi guarantee'," he said.
"Whether he has fulfilled his promises in 2014 and 2019. This is the point to be considered by the voters. I believe voters are not fools. The voters cannot be fooled at all times. They are quite intelligent. They can understand the political situation in the country and the failure of the government," he said.
On reports of NDA promising to "change" the Constitution if returned to power, the Congress leader said, "That is the hidden agenda of BJP. They don't believe in the Constitution, it's because they believe in manusmriti."
"So far they have not fulfilled the promises they made during the 2014, and 2019 parliamentary elections and they have shown a step-motherly attitude towards Karnataka. They have not given any money though Karnataka is facing severe drought. They have not given anything promised or announced in the budget. They have not released a single pie. All these things got to show, they have given empty vessel to the people of Karnataka," Siddaramaiah said.
Earlier in the day, during a public rally in Kolar, the audience reportedly shouted 'Chombu, Chombu' (empty vessel) to all the questions asked by CM Siddaramaiah on the promises made by the NDA government.
Siddaramaiah claimed that the BJP has replaced the sitting MPs with new faces on many seats across the country to contest the Lok Sabha elections as they were sceptical of retaining the seats.
"That is why they are going to be defeated. There is no Modi wave this time. In the name of Modi, they can't win. Unless they are good with the voters. So far there is a strong anti-incumbency against the government and MPs. That is why they have changed the sitting MPs this time, in the entire nation they have changed more than 100 sitting MPs and that is why new faces have been given tickets. They are trying but I don't think they will succeed in this attempt," he said.
On asked if the arrests of opposition leaders including former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who are Congress' alliance partners, will impact the elections, Siddaramaiah said, "People can understand the strategies they (BJP) adopt. They can't mislead the people everytime. Sometimes it is ok, but not all the time they can fool the people of this country and they can't underestimate the intelligence of the people."
On the alleged misuse of investigative agencies by the central government, Siddaramaiah questioned the targeted raids on only Congress leaders.
"Income Tax, ED, CBI comes under Government of India. Why are they conducting raids only on Congress leaders? Why not the BJP leaders? Is it not hate politics? They are creating fear in the minds of the leaders. Many leaders are afraid of the Government of India," the Chief Minister said.
The polling in Karnataka for the 28 seats in the 18th Lok Sabha will be held on April 26 and May 7 in the second and third phases, respectively.The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
In the 2019 elections, the Congress and JD-S alliance suffered a significant defeat, with the BJP securing a record 25 seats.