Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday cautioned his party colleagues against taking the Opposition lightly in the upcoming elections.
"I have a suggestion to all of you. None of you should take the opposition lightly. They have their own calculation and strengths," Yediyurappa said at the BJP Core Committee meeting here.The Lingayat strongman claimed that a few Congress leaders are in touch with some BJP leaders.
"You need to tread with confidence without giving chance to such incidents (defection). We have to make a sincere effort for the BJP to come back to power with 140 seats in the next Assembly elections," Yediyurappa, who stepped down as the Chief Minister on July 26, said here.He said the party can be strengthened by inducting into the BJP leaders from SC/ST and OBC communities.
Further, he asked to include a team of 20 to 25 women and the BJP youth wing leaders at the booth level organisation.
Yediyurappa also appealed to the party functionaries to make the welfare programmes of the Centre and the State Government reach every household.He also told the gathering that he would take up a state-wide tour shortly to strengthen the party base.
Yediyurappa reminded the core committee members that the BJP has to win both Hanagal and Sindagi assembly bypolls because its failure will send the wrong signals.No one here should assume that Hanagal and Sindagi are easy turfs," Yediyurappa said. Speaking about the demolition of temple in Nanjangud in Mysuru recently, which drew widespread criticism, Yediyurappa said a decision has been taken not to allow destruction of any temples anywhere.