Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the promise of a ban on Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, in the Congress manifesto is an example of stupidity. As the minister cast her vote, she said, "We always respect Bajrang Bali and read Hanuman Chalisa. But for the Congress, it is an election issue. Karnataka is the birthplace of Hanuman ji. And they wrote it in the manifesto. Bewakoofi ki udaharan..." Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Sitharaman cast her vote at the Bharath Education Society polling booth in Jayanagar, Bengaluru.

The Bajrang Dal ban promise turned into a massive controversy as PM Modi invoked Bajrang Bali and the Congress accused the BJP of equating Bajrang Bali with Bajrang Dal.

Congress Karnataka chief DK Shivakumar on Tuesday offered prayers to a gas cylinder in an attempt to remind the voters of gas prices. The Congress reupped an old video of Narendra Modi where he urged the same and DKS said he only asked the people to follow the same thing.

"Karnataka which is the land of Bajrang Bali will answer all these things on 13th May. Suddenly, the Congress party has started praying to everything -- whether it is visiting Bajrang Bali temples last week or seeing God in gas cylinders. The Hindu philosophy sees God in everything. We really welcome DK Shivakumar and Congress party offering prayers to LPG cylinders, we are happy that Congress is doing some kind of puja at least," Bengaluru MP Tejasvi Surya said on Wednesday.