Political Jaishankar takes stance on Karnataka poll wicket
Photo credit Twitter S Jaishankar
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, April 2: With the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hardselling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy in elections, Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar has taken a clear front-foot stance on Karnataka’s slippery poll wicket. Jaishankar in the last two days argued the BJP’s case for the Karnataka audience made of a cross-section of the intelligentsia.
Jaishankar has been in the political crossfire more regularly in the recent months. He has lampooned former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for his allegations against the Chinese transgressions across the line of actual control in the eastern Ladakh.
Jaishankar is also reckoned within the Modi Council of Minister as one of the most outspoken minister. He is been the BJP’s mainstay in countering the ‘foreign conspiracy’ angle whenever there is an attack on the Modi government.
In the last two days, Jaishankar held talks and interactions in Dharwad and Belagavi, which cover crucial region for the incumbent BJP in the Karnataka Assembly elections. He argued the case of the ‘double-engine’ government of the BJP taking India and Karnataka to “the progressive path forward”. The BJP is up against a 40-year trend in Karnataka of the people not re-electing an incumbent government in the state.
“A nostalgic return to Belagavi after 45 years. Enjoyed discussion with intellectuals on domestic progress & world affairs. Underlined how deeply they are connected, as well as the opportunities they present. Impressed by how Belagavi is getting connected to global supply chains,” tweeted Jaishankar on Sunday. He also had an interaction at JSS Educational Institutes, Dharwad, with students.
Jaishankar had been regularly meeting the intellectuals in Karnataka in the run up to the elections. He was also seen actively holding meetings with intellectuals in the run up to the Gujarat Assembly elections. Also, he had led a large delegation of foreign diplomats to Ahmedabad to celebrate Navaratri ahead of the Gujarat polls.
“Karnataka represents the enormous transformation that has earned India so much respect over the last nine years. Be it electronics, medical or culture, Dharwad can contribute to the globalization of India. National security and foreign policy are essential aspects that will shape India’s rise. And everyone had a stake in these. The vision of PM @narendramodi and the synergy of a double engine Government will ensure growth and development,” tweeted the minister.
A day before, Jaishankar attended a meeting called by Laghu Udyog Bharati, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS), with entrepreneurs and businessmen in Bengaluru. “Karnataka is making a crucial contribution to the economic progress and global impact of India. Its leadership in EoDB (ease of doing business), encouraging startups, attracting FDI, generating unicorns; and fostering technology is exemplary,” tweeted Jaishankar, adding that “growing defence exports, Covaxin, indigenous 5G and the India stack are symbols of changing capabilities and image of #NewIndia”.
About The Author
