PM has agreed to visit poll-bound Karnataka, at least once a month: Yediyurappa

BENGALURU: Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has agreed to his request of visiting Karnataka, where the party is aiming to come back to power, at least once a month, in the run-up to the 2023 Assembly polls.

The former Chief Minister who was in New Delhi on Friday to meet the party's central leadership said, no force can stop the BJP from coming back to power in Karnataka.

"I had a detailed discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party national President J P Nadda. They tried to know about the political situation in Karnataka. I have requested the Prime Minister to frequently visit the state and have assured him that the BJP will win more than 140 seats (out of the total 224) and come back to power," Yediyurappa said.

Speaking to reporters here on returning from New Delhi, he said the Prime Minister is visiting Mangaluru on September 2 and a mega event is planned there by gathering lakhs of people.

"I have requested Modiji to frequently visit, at least once a month, various parts of the state, and he has agreed to it. I have also spoken to Nadda in this regard. We will strengthen the party and put in all efforts," he added.

This was the first visit of the Karnataka BJP strongman to the national capital after his recent induction into the party's Parliamentary Board and Central Election Committee.

State leaders will begin travel across the state in the next few days aimed at strengthening the party, Yediyurappa said adding, no force can stop the BJP from coming back to power in Karnataka.

"We are confident that people will bless us...the Congress is dreaming about coming to power, but we will not give the opportunity to them and will work unitedly to form a BJP government," he added.

To a question on 40 per cent commission charge against Ministers and MLAs by the contractors' association in public works, Yediyurappa said, "just because some fools are making such false allegations under someone's influence, it cannot be true. Let them go to Lok Ayukta and get it inquired, we have no objection."

Alleging that Congress leader Siddaramaiah is intentionally getting this done, he said, "we will respond to it (allegations) in the Assembly...it will have no impact, people know these are false allegations."