BJP to focus on victory for its nominees in K'taka local body polls: Yediyurappa
Bengaluru, Jan 7 : BJP Central Parliamentary Board member and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said on Wednesday that the party will give special focus to ensuring the victory of its candidates in the upcoming local body elections in Karnataka.
Speaking to media representatives at the BJP state office “Jagannath Bhavan” in Bengaluru, he said that with the objective of strengthening the organisation and the party structure, the state president and all senior leaders have begun holding meetings of key leaders in every district from today. He said that discussions are also being held on the forthcoming local body elections as part of this exercise.
“We have decided to give special focus to winning our party candidates by highlighting this government’s misrule before the people,” he said.
Responding to a question about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah becoming the longest-serving Chief Minister of the state, Yediyurappa said that the style of governance of D. Devaraj Urs was different, and Siddaramaiah’s style of administration is different.
He said that the two leaders cannot be compared with each other. At a time when this government is steeped in corruption, he said people would not appreciate attempts to showcase achievements through conventions and publicity-driven events. He also claimed that the BJP is already registering victories in local body elections across the state.
He said the party is working with the clear objective of forming a BJP-led government with a massive majority in the next elections. “Our party workers have come forward with great enthusiasm. In the coming days, you will witness the BJP achieving victory in the local body elections,” he said with confidence.
Notably, Yediyurappa did not make any mention of an alliance with the JD(S) while addressing the media.
It may be noted that BJP leaders from Karnataka's Mandya district are opposing an alliance with the JD(S) in the local body elections following a statement by former Prime Minister and Rajya Sabha Member H.D. Deve Gowda that his party would contest the local body polls independently.
According to sources, BJP leaders expressed their displeasure over Deve Gowda’s remarks during the recently held core committee meeting. Former MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, former Minister K.C. Narayana Gowda, and other BJP leaders from Mandya district are said to be upset over the issue, particularly as the party had relinquished the Mandya Lok Sabha seat to Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and worked extensively for his victory.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Narayana Gowda said, “Deve Gowda has stated that his party will contest the local body polls independently. At that time, we gave up our right to contest the Mandya Lok Sabha seat, even though we had a sitting MP from our party. We convinced the party high command to allot the seat to the JD(S) and actively campaigned for Kumaraswamy in the Lok Sabha elections along with the sitting MP.”
Recently, Deve Gowda announced that the JD(S) had decided to contest the local body elections on its own in Karnataka.
“We cannot discuss seat-sharing in local-level elections with the Prime Minister or with Home Minister Shah. We will discuss seat-sharing with them only for major national-level elections such as the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. My priority is to strengthen the regional party at the grassroots level,” he said.
He reiterated that the JD(S) would remain firmly aligned with the NDA in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to media representatives at the BJP state office “Jagannath Bhavan” in Bengaluru, he said that with the objective of strengthening the organisation and the party structure, the state president and all senior leaders have begun holding meetings of key leaders in every district from today. He said that discussions are also being held on the forthcoming local body elections as part of this exercise.
“We have decided to give special focus to winning our party candidates by highlighting this government’s misrule before the people,” he said.
Responding to a question about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah becoming the longest-serving Chief Minister of the state, Yediyurappa said that the style of governance of D. Devaraj Urs was different, and Siddaramaiah’s style of administration is different.
He said that the two leaders cannot be compared with each other. At a time when this government is steeped in corruption, he said people would not appreciate attempts to showcase achievements through conventions and publicity-driven events. He also claimed that the BJP is already registering victories in local body elections across the state.
He said the party is working with the clear objective of forming a BJP-led government with a massive majority in the next elections. “Our party workers have come forward with great enthusiasm. In the coming days, you will witness the BJP achieving victory in the local body elections,” he said with confidence.
Notably, Yediyurappa did not make any mention of an alliance with the JD(S) while addressing the media.
It may be noted that BJP leaders from Karnataka's Mandya district are opposing an alliance with the JD(S) in the local body elections following a statement by former Prime Minister and Rajya Sabha Member H.D. Deve Gowda that his party would contest the local body polls independently.
According to sources, BJP leaders expressed their displeasure over Deve Gowda’s remarks during the recently held core committee meeting. Former MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, former Minister K.C. Narayana Gowda, and other BJP leaders from Mandya district are said to be upset over the issue, particularly as the party had relinquished the Mandya Lok Sabha seat to Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and worked extensively for his victory.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Narayana Gowda said, “Deve Gowda has stated that his party will contest the local body polls independently. At that time, we gave up our right to contest the Mandya Lok Sabha seat, even though we had a sitting MP from our party. We convinced the party high command to allot the seat to the JD(S) and actively campaigned for Kumaraswamy in the Lok Sabha elections along with the sitting MP.”
Recently, Deve Gowda announced that the JD(S) had decided to contest the local body elections on its own in Karnataka.
“We cannot discuss seat-sharing in local-level elections with the Prime Minister or with Home Minister Shah. We will discuss seat-sharing with them only for major national-level elections such as the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. My priority is to strengthen the regional party at the grassroots level,” he said.
He reiterated that the JD(S) would remain firmly aligned with the NDA in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.