Former CM Basavaraj Bommai Files Nomination Papers
By : Gururaj A Paniyadi
Update: 2024-04-15 19:38 GMT
HAVERI: Former CM and BJP candidate from Haveri, Basavaraj Bommai, filed his nomination papers today. Before the submission, Bommai paid homage to his parents at their resting place in Rayapur, offering prayers and seeking blessings. He also spoke to his grandson via video call before addressing the press.
Addressing the press, Bommai expressed his commitment to informing the voters about the achievements of the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the previous BJP government in the state. He explained that two sets of nomination papers were submitted today due to the auspiciousness of the occasion. Another set of papers will be filed on April 19. A grand procession is scheduled for that day, which will be attended by former CM BS Yediyurappa, BJP leader Byrati Basavaraj, and others. "I will win by a big margin," he asserted.
He scoffed at the claims of Congress leaders who boast of coming to power at the center. "For a party to attain power, it must secure 272 seats. The Congress couldn't even field that many candidates," Bommai derided.
In a firm response to allegations that BJP candidates were leveraging Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name for votes, Bommai emphasized the significance of mentioning Modi's name. "This is a Lok Sabha election, and Modi's name must be mentioned. The achievements of the previous BJP government would also be told to the people," he said.
Addressing a gathering of Dalit community leaders, he criticized the Congress for exploiting the community as a mere vote bank without addressing their rightful aspirations for social justice. “The Congress party has been using the Dalit community as its vote bank and doing politics without giving them internal reservation. Despite demand for several years for the hike in quota, the Congress party neglected it. During our government, the reservation for the SCs was hiked from 15 per to 17 percent and for the STs from three percent to seven percent. As an MP, I will strive hard to get justice for the communities in Lok Sabha," he asserted.