Rahul no match to Modi in stature: Yediyurappa

BENGALURU: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Thursday stated that Congress leader and ‘disqualified’ Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi is ‘no match’ to BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in stature.

At a press conference in Bengaluru, Yediyurappa said the stature of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is renowned internationally and that the image of Modi would help BJP garner voters in the ensuing Assembly polls in the State to retain power in Karnataka.

While expressing confidence of retaining power in Karnataka, he stated that Congress party leaders are ‘day dreaming’ that they would come to power in the State but in reality the Congress party would win in about 70 seats in the ensuing polls.

Regarding the electoral surveys, the former Chief Minister stated that his party conducted three surveys and all the three survey reports indicated that BJP would win in about 140 seats in the ensuing polls. 

In an appeal to the Muslims, Yediyurappa asked the members of Muslim community not to get misled on reservation for them and stated that BJP  has not meted out any ‘injustice’ to the Muslims. Instead, he said, the State Government shifted Muslims (religious minorities) from 2 ‘B’ category to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota wherein they fall under reservation of 10 per cent.

Over the reservation provided to various castes and communities in Karnataka, Yediyurappa stated Lingayats have reservation of 7 per dent, Vokkaligas-5 percent, SC (Left)-6 percent, SC (Right)-5.5 percent, Banjaras-4.5 percent and others-1 percent and with this decision, he stated that BJP has meted out ‘justice’ to all castes of the State.

On Banjara community’s stir against internal reservation, Yediyurappa reminded that it was he who constituted Lambani (Banjaras) Development Corporation, Tanda (Banjaras) Development Corporation and Tandas were declared as revenue villages. Yediyurappa also stated to embark upon a Statewide tour of all seats with leaders and Lok Sabha members in a couple of days.