Cong will disappear from Karnataka like other states: Javadekar

New Delhi: Union minister Prakash Javadekar, the BJP's in-charge for Karnataka polls, today claimed the Congress will "disappear" from the state like it has from other parts of the country and accused the Siddaramaiah government of being "anti-farmer and anti-poor".

On a day the Election Commission announced May 12 as the polling date in the state, Javadekar claimed that the people there are eager to throw out the Congress government due to its "divide and rule policy".

"The BJP is confident of a victory. Their game is divide and rule. They are anti-poor and anti-farmers. People don't appreciate such policies. The Congress will disappear from the state as it has from other parts of the country" he told reporters.

He also claimed that the state government had wanted to take over properties of mutts in the state which, he said, was a display of its "anti-Hindu" character.

Javadekar also took a dig at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi over his visits to shrines and holy places, saying people understand who is a real devotee and "whose rounds of temples are driven by elections".

He said farm distress, lawlessness and lack of development in the state were the main poll issues.

The 224-member state assembly will go to the polls on May 12 and the counting of votes is on May 15.