Big powers want to see me out of power: Modi

Chikkaballapura/Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said big and powerful people in India and abroad have joined hands to remove him from power. Modi also attacked the Congress government in the state. Citing recent incidents of the bomb blast in Bengaluru and the murder of a girl student in Hubballi in north Karnataka, he urged the people of the state to be alert about Congress, and also accused the party's government here of being "focused on corruption".

"Mothers and sisters have come in a large number here. Your struggle and the challenges you face to nurture your family, Modi has seen this in his house. These days big and powerful people in the country and abroad have united to remove Modi," he said. "But, because of Nari Shakti and Maatru Shakti's blessings and Suraksha kavach (safety armour), Modi is able to move on fighting challenges," he said addressing campaign rallies in Chikkaballapura and here. "Serving mothers, sisters and daughters and protecting them is Modi's priority," the PM said, listing out measures taken by his government for women's welfare in ten years like supporting their self help groups and creating 'Lakhpati Didis'. Modi said the first phase of voting for Lok Sabha on Friday has gone in favour of NDA and 'Viksit Bharat'. Targeting the INDIA bloc, he said the opposition alliance doesn't have a leader at present, and has no vision for future, and "their history was of scams."

Praising JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda who shared the stage with him, for his energy and commitment at the age of 90, Modi said he too draws inspiration from him. "His (Gowda) commitment towards Karnataka, the pain in his heart for the plight of Karnataka today and the 'josh' in his voice, is the testimony for Karnataka's bright future," he said, as he thanked Gowda for his "blessings".