Karnataka: Polls coming, BJP gets into top gear

Bengaluru: With the Assembly polls just 30 months away and the polls to as many as 25 Legislative Council seats scheduled to be held in December, BJP and RSS bigwigs held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the polls, organisational elections and agitations to be taken up against the Congress government.

Their primary focus now is on the organizational polls due in November. Sources revealed that the RSS had sent a message that suitable candidates should be chosen as party district presidents and general secretaries who have a strong association with the saffron party. During the day-long meeting, BJP and RSS leaders  received complaints about a few district BJP presidents and general secretaries for their inaction in building the party network. Considering the complaints, the RSS has suggested that the party change inactive office bearers.

With a huge chunk of seats up for grabs in the Council polls, the Sangh has suggested to BJP leaders to make efforts to win the maximum seats by fielding strong candidates. As for the second leg of the Raitha Chaitanya Yatra which will start from October 1, Sangh leaders suggested that BJP senior leaders  take up different issues against the state government and expose its misdeeds before the public. They want BJP leaders to explain the Central government contribution to Karnataka to tackle the drought and farmer issues.

Sangh leaders have also advised party leaders to deal with the Kalasa Banduri issue tactfully. Since the Congress government and a section of farmer leaders have been successful in blaming the BJP led NDA government at the Centre for non-implementation of the project, BJP leaders should explain the facts, RSS leaders suggested in the meeting.

After the meeting, Union Law and Justice minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda said, “there is no need to take a delegation to the PM for a second time on the Mahadayi issue. The previous delegation which met the Prime Minister, had discussed the subject in detail. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is trying to escape his responsibility, he should first speak with the Goa Chief Minister.” He also made it clear that if the state government called an all-party meeting to discuss Kalasa Banduri, the BJP is ready to attend the meeting.

Former minister C.T. Ravi said the party has already collected signatures for removal of Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao and is looking for JD(S) support in this regard.