New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fielding Reddy brothers for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections.


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"When in power, Yeddyurappa and Reddy brothers looted Karnataka. Our government brought them to justice. Now Mr Modi is trying to take 8 of them from jail, into the Vidhan Sabha. This is an insult to every honest citizen, to Karnataka and to the spirit of Basavanna," he tweeted.



Earlier, too, on Tuesday Congress media in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala in Bengaluru had taunted the Modi government for letting off the infamous Reddy mining brothers. "The Modi government has become the benefactor, protector, defender of the Bellary gang for denuding Kannadigas of their rich natural resources through its puppet CBI," he had told reporters in Bengaluru.

Terming the iron ore mining scam in the state biggest, he had said the then anti-graft watchdog Justice Santosh Hegde had exposed the 'unholy nexus' of BJP's chief ministerial face BS Yeddyurappa with the Reddy brothers.

Accusing the BJP of betraying Kannadigas and protecting the Reddy brothers, Surjewala had added that iron ore valued at Rs 35,000 crore was mined, extracted and sold to domestic and export markets illegally, as revealed in the probe report.




Meanwhile, Rahul will release the party's manifesto for the Assembly polls on April 27 in Mangalore.



During his two-day seventh leg of campaigning in the southern state, which starts on Thursday, Rahul will visit parts of Uttara Kannada like Ankola city, Mastikatte Circle (Kumta), Saraswati Circle (Honnavar) and hold a corner meeting at Bhatkal.



So far, the Congress chief has held six rounds of campaigning in the southern state. The sixth phase of campaigning was on April 7-8.


On the other hand, PM Modi will interact with Karnataka BJP leaders, including the party's candidates for the Assembly polls, elected members and office-bearers, through his mobile application on Thursday.


A BJP statement said he would also speak to party workers and provide them "guidance" as they campaign for elections for 224 members.



PM Modi will start his campaign in the state from May 1 and is expected to address anywhere between 15-20 rallies, PTI quoted party sources as saying. 


Karnataka state is slated to witness a three-corner contest involving the ruling Congress, the BJP and the HD Deve Gowda-led JD(S).


The result of the polls will be announced on May 15. 


(With Agency inputs)