Cong in Karnataka to avoid Modi bashing

The Congress leadership has informally asked candidates and functionaries to refrain from making personal attacks on PM Narendra Modi or comments that can drag the party into Hindutva-versus-secularism debates during the campaign for the May 10 Karnataka assembly elections. “If we say anything against Modi, it will be blown out of proportion and efforts will be made to change the poll narrative. . . Let us not give room for that,” is the message learned to have been conveyed to candidates. The Congress leadership is learned to have cited “twisting” of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s comments against PM Modi during the Gujarat polls. Congress has instead decided to focus on what it called the failures of the BJP-led Centre and state government as well as corruption charges, and price rise.